Rubber composition having good wet-traction properties and a low aromatic-oil content

• US 20070149689A1
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
• Inventors: Wang, Xiaorong, Hall, James
• Granted Patent: US 9,752,020 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 524/493
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 1/0016 Compositions of the tread
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 210/10 Isobutene
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 222/06 Maleic anhydride
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 255/10 on to butene polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 8/32 by reaction with amines
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/013 Fillers, pigments or reinforcing additives
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/0008 Organic ingredients according to more than one of the "one dot" groups of C08K5/01 - C08K5/59
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/01 Hydrocarbons C08K5/0091 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 21/00 Compositions of unspecified rubbers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/22 Copolymers of isobutene; Butyl rubber ; Homo- or copolymers of other iso-olefins
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/26 modified by chemical after-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/02 Organic macromolecular compounds, natural resins, waxes or and bituminous materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/04 Macromolecular compounds according to groups C08L7/00 - C08L49/00, or C08L55/00 - C08L57/00; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/06 Homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated hydrocarbons; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 51/06 grafted on to homopolymers or copolymers of aliphatic hydrocarbons containing only one carbon-to-carbon double bond
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/86 Optimisation of rolling resistance, e.g. weight reduction

Abstract

This invention relates to rubber compositions having a low aromatic-oil content, or no aromatic oils at all. The rubber composition contains a diene rubber, one or more fillers, and a low molecular weight, functionalized polymer than has the ability to interact with the fillers and act and as a replacement to the aromatic oil. The rubber compositions so produced may be used in tread rubbers and have exhibited good snow/wet traction properties and low rolling resistance.

Claims

1. A stable rubber composition having a low aromatic-oil content, comprising:

a. a diene rubber;

b. one or more fillers; and

c. a low molecular weight, functionalized polymer,

wherein the rubber composition has an aromatic-oil content of 15 or fewer parts oil per 100 parts rubber.

2. The rubber composition of claim 1, wherein the rubber composition contains no aromatic oil.

3. The rubber composition of claim 1, wherein the functionalized group of the polymer is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, carboxyl, carbonyl, alkoxy, alkoxycarbonyl, cyano, amino, amido, imido, mercapto, carbamoyl, azido, ester, ether, urethane, peroxide, imidazolyl, pyridine, and derivatives thereof.

4. The rubber composition of claim 1, wherein the functionalized polymer is a functionalized polyisobutylene polymer.

5. The rubber composition of claim 4, wherein the functionalized polyisobutylene polymer is a imide-functionalized polyisobutylene.

6. A tread rubber composition, comprising:

a. a diene rubber;

b. a functionalized filler; and

c. a low molecular weight, functionalized polymer;

wherein the functionalized polymer interacts with the functionalized filler.

7. The tread rubber composition of claim 6, wherein the functionalized group of the polymer is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, carboxyl, carbonyl, alkoxy, alkoxycarbonyl, cyano, amino, amido, imido, mercapto, carbamoyl, azido, ester, ether, urethane, peroxide, imidazolyl, pyridine, and derivatives thereof.

8. The tread rubber composition of claim 6, wherein the functionalized polymer is a functionalized polyisobutylene.

9. The tread rubber composition of claim 8, wherein the functionalized polyisobutylene is an imide-functionalized polyisobutylene.

10. The tread rubber composition of claim 9, wherein the imide-functionalized polyisobutylene is the reaction product of an anhydride-functionalized polyisobutylene and an amine having the formula H₂N—

(CH₂)_x-A,

wherein x is an integer ranging from 0-60 and A is a functional group selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, carboxyl, carbonyl, alkoxy, alkoxycarbonyl, cyano, amino, amido, imido, mercapto, carbamoyl, azido, ester, ether, urethane, peroxide, imidazolyl, pyridine, and derivatives thereof.

11. The tread rubber composition of claim 10, wherein the functional group of the amine is a secondary amino group and x ranges from 1-6.

12. The tread rubber composition of claim 11, wherein the amine is 3-(dimethylamino)propylamine.

13. The tread rubber composition of claim 6, wherein the molecular weight of the low molecular weight polymer ranges from about 100 to about 10,000.

14. The tread rubber composition of claim 13, wherein the molecular weight ranges from about 1000 to about 5000.

15. The tread rubber composition of claim 6, wherein the diene rubber is the polymerization product of a conjugated diene monomer and a vinyl aromatic compound.

16. The tread rubber composition of claim 15, wherein the diene rubber is a butadiene-styrene rubber.

17. The tread rubber composition of claim 6, wherein the functionalized filler is precipitated silica, alumina, or mixtures thereof.

18. A tire comprising the tread rubber composition of claim 6.

19. A method of producing a tire having improved wet-traction properties, comprising

preparing a rubber composition comprising a diene rubber, one or more fillers, and a low molecular weight, functionalized polyisobutylene polymer;

and

vulcanizing the rubber composition,

to produce a tire having improved wet-traction properties.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the functionalized group of the polyisobutylene polymer is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, carboxyl, carbonyl, alkoxy, alkoxycarbonyl, cyano, amino, amido, imido, mercapto, carbamoyl, azido, ester, ether, urethane, peroxide, imidazolyl, pyridine, and derivatives thereof.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the functionalized polyisobutylene is an imide-functionalized polyisobutylene.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the imide-functionalized polyisobutylene is prepared by reacting an anhydride-functionalized polyisobutylene polymer with an amine having the formula H₂N—

(CH₂)_x-A,

wherein x is an integer ranging from 0-60 and A is a functional group selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, carboxyl, carbonyl, alkoxy, alkoxycarbonyl, cyano, amino, amido, imido, mercapto, carbamoyl, azido, ester, ether, urethane, peroxide, imidazolyl, pyridine, and derivatives thereof.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the functional group of the amine is a secondary amino group and x ranges from 1-6.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the amine is 3-(dimethylamino)propylamine.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the molecular weight of the low molecular weight polymer ranges from about 100 to about 10,000.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the molecular weight ranges from about 1000 to about 5000.