AMINO ALKOXY-MODIFIED SILSESQUIOXANES IN SILICA-FILLED RUBBER WITH LOW VOLATILE ORGANIC CHEMICAL EVOLUTION

• US 20100071818A1
• Filed: 12/31/2008
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
• Inventors: Lin, Chenchy Jeffrey, Hergenrother, William L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,097,674 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 152/209.100
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 77/26 nitrogen-containing groups
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 77/28 sulfur-containing groups
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/548 containing sulfur C08K5/5477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 183/08 containing silicon bound to organic groups containing atoms other than carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/86 Optimisation of rolling resistance, e.g. weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10 Tires, resilient
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10495 Pneumatic tire or inner tube
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2991 Coated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2995 Silane, siloxane or silicone coating

Abstract

A vulcanizable rubber composition is presented that comprises an elastomer; a reinforcing filler selected from silica, carbon black, and mixtures thereof, a cure agent; and an amino alkoxy-modified silsesquioxane (AMS) comprising one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of an amino AMS, an amino/mercaptan co-AMS, an amino/blocked mercaptan co-AMS, mixtures thereof, and weak acid-neutralized solid and aqueous solutions thereof. Addition of such compounds to the rubber composition provides improved dynamic viscoelastic and mechanical properties of the vulcanized rubber compound and predict that tire components, especially tread stocks, will provide tires having improved snow traction, lower rolling resistance but equal wet traction, increased rebound, decreased hysteresis, and a general improvement in tire performance.

Claims

11-1. The vulcanizable rubber composition of claim 1, wherein the silica is present in an amount of about one phr to about 150 phr.

37. A pneumatic tire including at least one component comprising a vulcanized rubber compound made from a vulcanizable rubber composition comprising:

(a) an elastomer;

(b) a reinforcing filler selected from silica, carbon black, and mixtures thereof;

(c) an amino alkoxy-modified silsesquioxane (AMS) comprising one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of an amino AMS, an amino/mercaptan co-AMS, an amino/blocked mercaptan co-AMS, mixtures thereof, and weak acid-neutralized solid and aqueous solutions thereof, and having the formula

wherein w, x, y and z represent mole fractions, z does not equal zero, at least one of w, x or y must also be present, and w+x+y+z=1.00;

wherein at least one of R¹, R², R³ and R⁴ must be present and selected from the group consisting of R⁶Z, wherein Z is selected from the group consisting of NH₂, HNR⁷ and NR⁷₂; and

the remaining R¹, R², R³ or R⁴ are the same or different and selected from the group consisting of (i) H or an alkyl groups having one to about 20 carbon atoms, (ii) cycloalkyl groups having 3 to about 20 carbon atoms, (iii) alkylaryl groups having 7 to about 20 carbon atoms, (iv) R⁶X, wherein X is selected from the group consisting of Cl, Br, SH, S_aR⁷, NR⁷₂, OR⁷, CO₂H, SCOR⁷, CO₂R⁷, OH, olefins, epoxides, amino groups, vinyl groups, acrylates and methacrylates, wherein a=1 to about 8, and (v) R⁶YR⁸X, wherein Y is selected from the group consisting of O, S, NH and NR⁷;

wherein R⁶ and R⁸ are selected from the group consisting of alkylene groups having one to about 20 carbon atoms, cycloalkylene groups having 3 to about 20 carbon atoms, and a single bond; and

R⁵ and R⁷ are selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups having one to about 20 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl groups having 3 to about 20 carbon atoms, and alkylaryl groups having 7 to about 20 carbon atoms; and

(d) a cure agent.

38. The pneumatic tire of claim 37, wherein the tire component is selected from the group consisting of treads, subtreads, sidewalls, body ply skims, bead fillers, apex, chafer, sidewall insert, wirecoat, inner liner, and combinations thereof.

39. The pneumatic tire of claim 38, wherein at least one component comprises a tire tread.