Tire Tread Rubber Composition for Wet Braking and Fuel Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tire materials face a trade-off between fuel efficiency and braking performance on wet roads, where improving one performance often compromises another, such as reducing reinforcing fillers to decrease rolling resistance but sacrificing braking and steering stability.
Innovation Solution
A rubber composition for tire tread comprising 100 parts of raw rubber, 100-150 parts of silica, and 15-60 parts of resin with specific properties, including solution-polymerized styrene butadiene rubber, silica with controlled surface areas, and a silane coupling agent, which enhances braking and handling performance while maintaining low fuel consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If amount of reinforcing filler such as silica is decreased to reduce hysteresis loss and rolling resistance, then fuel efficiency performance is improved, but braking performance and steering stability performance on wet road surface deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the vinyl content (20-35 wt%) and styrene content (8-30 wt%) of the solution-polymerized styrene butadiene rubber, along with controlling the molecular weight distribution (2-5). These parameter optimizations enable the rubber composition to achieve both low rolling resistance and excellent wet braking performance simultaneously, resolving the technical contradiction between fuel efficiency and braking performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining solution-polymerized styrene butadiene rubber with specific vinyl content, silica reinforcing filler, and resin in optimized proportions. This composite formulation creates a synergistic effect where the rubber matrix provides flexibility and low hysteresis loss while silica provides reinforcement for wet braking performance, thus resolving the contradiction between fuel efficiency and braking performance.
2Reliability
If amount of reinforcing filler such as silica is increased to improve braking performance on wet road surface, then braking performance and steering stability performance are improved, but hysteresis loss increases and fuel efficiency performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the silica content within a specific range (100-150 parts by weight per 100 parts of raw rubber) and controls the vinyl content of the rubber (20-35 wt%) to balance reinforcement and hysteresis loss. This parameter optimization allows achieving excellent wet braking performance while maintaining low rolling resistance and good fuel efficiency, resolving the technical contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating different functional zones within the rubber composition: the solution-polymerized styrene butadiene rubber with controlled vinyl content provides low hysteresis loss for fuel efficiency, while the silica filler provides localized reinforcement for wet braking performance. This spatial and functional differentiation resolves the contradiction between opposing performance requirements.
3Reliability
If vinyl content in butadiene is increased to improve handling performance and wet braking, then handling and riding performance are improved, but rolling resistance increases and fuel efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent precisely controls the vinyl content within 20-35 wt% and styrene content within 8-30 wt%, along with optimizing the molecular weight distribution (2-5). This multi-parameter optimization enables the rubber to achieve improved handling performance through adequate vinyl content while maintaining low rolling resistance through controlled polymer structure, thus resolving the technical contradiction between handling performance and fuel efficiency.
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 rubber composition achieves improved braking and handling performance on both dry and wet surfaces while maintaining excellent fuel efficiency, balancing the trade-off between performance attributes.
Implementation Method 1
a silane coupling agent, which enhances braking and handling performance while maintaining low fuel consumption
Implementation Method 2
15 to 60 parts by weight of resin having a softening point of 100 to 150 °C
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a rubber composition for tire tread and a tire manufactured by using the same, and the rubber composition for tire tread maintains low fuel consumption performance and can improve braking performance and handling performance on extremely dry and wet road surfaces by comprising 100 parts by weight of raw rubber, 100 to 150 parts by weight of silica, and 15 to 60 parts by weight of resin having a softening point of 100 to 150 °C, wherein the raw rubber includes a solution-polymerized styrene butadiene rubber comprising 8 to 30 wt% of styrene, having 20 to 35 wt% of vinyl contained in butadiene, and having a molecular weight distribution of 2 to 5.