Functionalized polymers and tires therefrom

• US 9,290,599 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2013
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
• Inventors: Hogan, Terrence E., Hergenrother, William L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zemel, Irina S
• Assistant Examiner(s): LENIHAN, JEFFREY S
• Application Number:
  US14/108,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20140107298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 525/326.1, 525/331.9, 525/332.3, 525/332.9, 525/333.1, 525/333.2, 525/342, 525/343, 525/374
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 1/00 Tyres characterised by the chemical composition or the physical arrangement or mixture of the composition
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 1/0016 Compositions of the tread
• CPC Class Codes: C08C 19/20 Incorporating sulfur atoms into the molecule
• CPC Class Codes: C08C 19/44 of polymers containing metal atoms exclusively at one or both ends of the skeleton
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 236/10 with vinyl-aromatic monomers

Abstract

A method for preparing a functionalized polymer, the method comprising providing a reactive polymer, where the reactive polymer includes an oxygen anion, a sulfur anion, or a nitrogen anion, reacting the reactive polymer with carbon disulfide to form a polymer including a dithio carboxyl group, and reacting the polymer including the dithio carboxyl group with a blocking agent.

Claims

1. A functionalized polymer defined by the formula

2. The functionalized polymer of claim 1, where the polymer chain is characterized by a glass transition temperature of less than 0°

C.

3. The functionalized polymer of claim 2, where the polymer includes an anionically polymerized polymer.

4. The functionalized polymer of claim 1, where the polymer chain has a number average molecular weight of from about 5 to about 1,000 kg/mole.

5. The functionalized polymer of claim 1, where the polymer chain is rubber polymer.

6. The functionalized polymer of claim 1, where the polymer chain is selected from the group consisting of polybutadiene, polyisoprene, poly(styrene-co-butadiene), poly(styrene-co-butadiene-co-isoprene), poly(isoprene-co-styrene), and poly(butadiene-co-isoprene).

7. The functionalized polymer of claim 1, where the blocking group includes a group or substituent that can prevent, preclude, or minimize reaction of the sulfur atom to which it is attached with other compounds at certain temperatures and/or in the presence of a catalyst.

8. The functionalized polymer of claim 1, where α

is a functional group selected from the group consisting of tin-containing groups, nitrogen-containing groups, boron-containing groups, oxygen-containing groups, phosphorous-containing groups, and sulfur-containing groups.

9. The functionalized polymer of claim 1, where β

is a nitrogen atom.

10. The functionalized polymer of claim 1, where β

is a sulfur atom.

11. The functionalized polymer of claim 1, where β

is an oxygen atom.

12. The functionalized polymer of claim 1, where π

is a polydienyl polymer or polydienyl copolymer.