Silica-Reinforced Tyre Compound With Polyamine for Low Hysteresis
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Solution Overview
Problem
The use of silica as a reinforcing filler in tire production reduces mechanical properties like tear resistance due to poor affinity with elastomeric polymers, while traditional carbon black increases rolling resistance and heat dissipation, necessitating improved coupling agents that limit processing temperatures and affect vulcanisation kinetics.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a polyamine into an elastomeric composition with diene elastomeric polymer, silica, and silane coupling agent enhances mechanical properties, reduces hysteresis, and stabilizes the vulcanisation process, allowing for better rolling resistance and grip on wet surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If silica is used as a reinforcing filler to replace carbon black, then rolling resistance is reduced and hysteresis is lowered, but mechanical properties such as tear resistance are reduced due to poor affinity between silica and elastomeric polymers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a silane coupling agent as an intermediary substance that chemically bonds to both silica particles and elastomeric polymer chains. This coupling agent creates a bridge between the inorganic filler and organic polymer, improving interfacial adhesion and stress transfer, thereby enhancing tear resistance while maintaining the low rolling resistance benefits of silica reinforcement
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system consisting of elastomeric polymer, silica filler, and silane coupling agent that work synergistically. The composite structure combines the low hysteresis properties of silica with the bonding capabilities of the coupling agent, achieving both reduced rolling resistance and improved mechanical strength through the integrated material system
2Strength
If a silane coupling agent is used to improve the affinity between silica and elastomeric polymers, then mechanical properties are improved, but the maximum processing temperature is limited to avoid irreversible thermal degradation of the coupling agent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent selects silane coupling agents with specific chemical structures and bonding characteristics that exhibit enhanced thermal stability. By changing the chemical parameters of the coupling agent (such as selecting specific silane groups and bond types), the processing temperature range is extended while maintaining effective silica-polymer affinity and mechanical property enhancement
3Strength
If traditional vulcanisation processes are used with sulphur and carbon black, then mechanical properties are improved, but reversion phenomena occur and rolling resistance increases due to pronounced hysteresis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates carbon black from the traditional vulcanisation system, replacing it with silica as the reinforcing filler. This removal of carbon black eliminates the source of pronounced hysteresis and associated rolling resistance, while the silane coupling agent compensates for the loss of reinforcement effectiveness, achieving both improved mechanical properties and reduced energy loss
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 polyamine improves static and dynamic mechanical properties, reduces hysteresis, and maintains good grip on wet surfaces by modulating the vulcanisation curve, ensuring faster vulcanisation cycles and stable system performance.
Implementation Method 1
the introduction of other compounds able to promote the reaction of the silica with the coupling agent, thus improving the interaction with the elastomeric polymers
Implementation Method 2
to increase the affinity of the silica with the elastomeric polymers, it is necessary to use suitable coupling agents, such as, for example, organosilane products containing sulphur ('silanisation' process)
Implementation Method 3
vulcanisation is a process commonly used to impart the necessary mechanical properties to the elastomeric compositions... This process influences the static and dynamic modules as well as the hysteresis... The vulcanisation process typically uses sulphur to promote the cross-linking of the elastomeric composition
Implementation Method 4
the use of large amounts of carbon black provides pronounced hysteresis properties, i.e., an increase in heat dissipated under dynamic conditions, which results in an increase in the rolling resistance of the tyre
Data Source
AI summary
A tyre and related vulcanisable elastomeric compound and elastomeric composition are described. The tyre includes at least one structural element that includes a vulcanised elastomeric material including, before vulcanisation, a vulcanisable elastomeric compound including, before mixing, an elastomeric composition including per 100 phr of diene elastomeric polymer:(a) 30 to 95 phr of at least one styrene-butadiene polymer (SBR);(b) 5 to 70 phr of at least one diene elastomeric polymer selected from the group consisting of at least one isoprene polymer (IR), at least one butadiene polymer (BR), or mixtures thereof;(c) 10 phr to about 120 phr, preferably 20 phr to 100 phr, of at least one white reinforcing filler;(d) from about 1% to about 20% by weight, relative to the amount of said white reinforcing filler, of at least one silane coupling agent;(e) 1% to 35% by weight, preferably 5% to 25% by weight, relative to the amount of said silane coupling agent, of a polyamine.