Winter Tire Elastomer Blend for Wet Grip and Dry Braking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current winter tires face challenges in achieving a balance between traction and braking performance on dry and wet surfaces, with existing modifications such as filler content and plasticizer use not fully satisfying the need for improved grip and braking on snow and dry conditions.
Innovation Solution
A tire component featuring a crosslinked elastomeric material from a polymer blend comprising 50-95% high molecular weight and 5-50% low molecular weight elastomeric polymers, where the low molecular weight polymer has a coupled or branched structure, enhancing wet and ice grip while maintaining dry braking performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a single elastomeric polymer composition is used to maintain simplicity, then manufacturing is easier, but performance balance across different road conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention modifies the polymer composition parameters by introducing functional groups with specific concentration ranges. This parameter change enables a single polymer composition to achieve balanced performance across dry, wet, and icy conditions, eliminating the need for complex multi-component formulations.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomeric polymer with functional groups serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides base elasticity, enhances wet and ice grip through functional group interactions, and maintains dry braking performance. This multi-functionality is achieved within a single polymer composition, simplifying manufacturing while improving overall performance balance.
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 solution provides a better balance of tire performance on wet and snow surfaces and equal or improved braking on dry surfaces, specifically in winter tire applications.
Implementation Method 1
a tire component comprising a crosslinked elastomeric material obtained by crosslinking a crosslinkable elastomeric composition comprising a polymer blend comprising: (a) 50 to 95 percent by weight of a high molecular weight first elastomeric polymer; and (b) 5 to 50 percent by weight of a second low molecular weight elastomeric polymer
Implementation Method 2
a crosslinked elastomeric material obtained by crosslinking a crosslinkable elastomeric composition
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a tire (100) for vehicle wheels comprising a tire component comprising a crosslinked elastomeric material obtained by crosslinking a crosslinkable elastomeric composition, wherein said elastomeric composition comprises a polymer blend comprising (a) 50 to 95 percent by weight of a first elastomeric polymer and (b) 5 to 50 percent by weight of a second elastomeric polymer based on the total weight of the polymer blend. The second elastomeric polymer (b) is obtainable by (i) anionic polymerization of at least one conjugated diene monomer and one or more a-olefin monomer(s) in the presence of a polymerization initiator in an organic solvent, and (ii) coupling the polymer chains obtained in (i) by a coupling agent. The second elastomeric polymer (b) has a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) in the range of 5,000-40,000 g/mol and a coupling rate of at least 50 percent by weight.