RUBBER COMPOSITIONS INCLUDING SILICEOUS FILLERS

• US 20150203662A1
• Filed: 02/16/2015
• Published: 07/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
• Inventors: Yan, Yuan-Yong, Qin, Zengquan, Pan, Xiao-Dong
• Granted Patent: US 9,868,850 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C08C 19/44 of polymers containing metal atoms exclusively at one or both ends of the skeleton
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 36/04 conjugated
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 4/48 selected from lithium, rubidium, caesium or francium C08F4/461 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/36 Silica
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/5419 containing at least one Si—C bond
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/544 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/548 containing sulfur C08K5/5477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/549 containing silicon in a ring
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 15/00 Compositions of rubber derivatives C08L11/00, C08L13/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 7/00 Compositions of natural rubber
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 9/06 Copolymers with styrene

Abstract

Vulcanizates with desirable properties can be obtained from compositions incorporating polymers that include hydroxyl group-containing aryl functionalities, silica or other particulate filler(s) that contain or include oxides of silicon and a group or compound that can act to covalently bond the filler particles and the polymer. The group can be provided as a substituent of the filler particle, or a discreet compound can be provided in the composition.

Claims

1. A method of making a filled rubber composition, said method comprising

a) providing a first composition by blending

(1) a polymer that comprises

(i) ethylenic unsaturation and

(ii) pendent or terminal functionality which comprises an aryl group having at least two substituents defined by the formula —

OR, wherein R is H or a hydrolyzable group, or an oxidation product thereof,

(2) filler particles that comprise oxides of silicon, and

(3) one or more compounds defined by the general formula YR¹L where L is a group that contains at least one Si—

O bond, R¹ is a hydrocarbylene group, and Y is a functionality that comprises a —

OH, —

SH, —

NHR², —

CN, —

C(O)R² or —

NCO group in which R² is H or a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group; and

b) mixing said first composition with at least one sulfide-containing silane coupling agent so as to provide said filled rubber composition.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said functionality is at a terminus of said polymer.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said functionality has the general formula

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the aryl group of said functionality is a phenyl group.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said filler particles comprise at least one species of silica.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said mixing step occurs after said providing step is complete.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said providing step involves up to 2 phr of said one or more compounds defined by the general formula YR¹L.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein mixing step involves at least 3 phr of said coupling agent.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said providing step involves up to 2 phr of said one or more compounds defined by the general formula YR¹L.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein mixing step involves at least 3 phr of said coupling agent.

11. A process for making a filled rubber composition, said process comprising blending

(1) a polymer that comprises

(i) ethylenic unsaturation and

(ii) pendent or terminal functionality which comprises an aryl group having at least two substituents defined by the formula —

OR, wherein R is H or a hydrolyzable group, or an oxidation product thereof; and

(2) filler particles that comprise oxides of silicon and bound residues of one or more compounds having the general formula YR¹L where L is a group that contains at least one Si—

O bond, R¹ is a hydrocarbylene group, and Y is a functionality that comprises a —

OH, —

SH, —

NHR², —

CN, —

C(O)R² or —

NCO group in which R² is H or a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group.

12. The process of claim 11 wherein said functionality is at a terminus of said polymer.

13. The process of claim 12 wherein said functionality has the general formula

14. The process of claim 12 wherein the aryl group of said functionality is a phenyl group.

15. The process of claim 11 wherein said filler particles comprise at least one species of silica.

17. The process of claim 11 wherein said filler particles comprise at least one species of kaolin clay.

18. The process of claim 17 wherein Y is a functionality that comprises a —

SH group.

19. The process of claim 11 wherein said filler particles comprise at least one species having a surface free energy in water value of at least 300 mJ/m².

20. The process of claim 11 wherein said filled rubber composition comprises at least one sulfide-containing silane coupling agent.

16. The process of claim 16 wherein Y is a functionality that comprises a —

SH group.