High-Grip Tire Rubber Composition with Silane-Modified Diene Rubber
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tire rubber compositions fail to achieve a well-balanced improvement in wet grip performance, dry grip performance, and steering stability, as they often compromise on one aspect due to increased viscosity or flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A high-grip tire rubber composition comprising 60% or more styrene butadiene rubber, a modified liquid diene rubber with specific molecular weight and functional groups, and a filler such as silica, which enhances the compatibility and dispersibility of the filler, leading to improved wet and dry grip performance and steering stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a large amount of carbon black with small particle diameter (5-100 nm) is added to improve dry grip performance, then dry grip performance is improved, but viscosity increases and processability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the particle size parameter of carbon black from conventional small sizes (5-100 nm) to larger sizes (100-500 nm), which reduces viscosity and improves processability while maintaining dry grip performance through optimized filler composition and rubber matrix design
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite rubber composition combining styrene-butadiene rubber with specific carbon black grades and silane-modified polydimethylsiloxane, forming a multi-component system that achieves both improved processability and maintained grip performance through synergistic interactions
2Ease of manufacture
If process oils or liquid polymers are added as processability improvers, then processability is improved, but dry grip performance and wet grip performance are not sufficiently improved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional process oils with silane-modified polydimethylsiloxane that decomposes during vulcanization to release dimethylsilane crosslinking agents, transforming a temporary processing aid into a permanent crosslinked network that provides both processability and long-term performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical nature of the processability improver from hydrocarbon-based oils to silane-modified silicones, which undergo hydrolysis and condensation reactions to form crosslinked structures that improve both processing and final performance
3Reliability
If flexibility of rubber composition is increased to improve wet grip and dry grip performance, then grip performance is improved, but storage modulus decreases and steering stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces silane-modified polydimethylsiloxane that pre-forms a crosslinked network structure during processing, which maintains storage modulus and steering stability while allowing the flexible rubber matrix to provide improved grip performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite system where silane crosslinked polydimethylsiloxane forms a rigid network that maintains storage modulus, while the styrene-butadiene rubber matrix provides flexibility and grip performance, achieving both improved grip and maintained steering stability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composition achieves a high and well-balanced level of wet grip performance, dry grip performance, and steering stability, while maintaining processability and flexibility, thus enhancing the overall performance of tire treads and pneumatic tires.
Implementation Method 1
silane-modified polydimethylsiloxane, which has undergone hydrolysis and condensation
Implementation Method 2
silane-modified polydimethylsiloxane, which has undergone hydrolysis and condensation
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a high-grip tire rubber composition satisfying wet grip performance, dry grip performance and steering stability in a high and well-balanced manner, and a tire tread, a bead filler, a tire belt and a pneumatic tire which each partially include the composition. The high-grip tire rubber composition includes 100 parts by mass of a solid rubber (A), the solid rubber (A) including not less than 60 mass% of a styrene butadiene rubber with 20 mass% or more styrene content, 0.1 to 90 parts by mass of a modified liquid diene rubber (B) having a functional group derived from a silane compound with a specific structure, and 20 to 150 parts by mass of a filler (C), the modified liquid diene rubber (B) satisfying the following (i) to (iii): (i) the weight average molecular weight (Mw) is not less than 1,000 and less than 15,000, (ii) the vinyl content is not more than 70 mol%, and (iii) the average number of the functional groups per molecule of the modified liquid diene rubber (B) is 1 to 20.