The Goodyear & Tire Rubber Company

Danisco US Inc.

Flow Polymers, Inc.

Aaron Scott Puhala

Frank James Feher

Fernando Valle

Joseph Charles McAuliffe

Gregory Marshall Whited

Junling Zhao

Marguerite A Cervin

Gopal K Chotani

Karl John Sanford

Andrei Miasnikov

Caroline M Peres

Paul Harry Sandstrom

Bruce Raymond Hahn

James W Hoover

David John Zanzig

Robert Allen Losey

David Charles Poling

Martin Paul Cohen

Carol Marie Fioresi

Samuel P Landers

Ramendra Nath Majumdar

Richard Michael D'Sidocky

Eric John Marazzi

John Joseph Andre Verthe

Paul Bryan Maxwell

Adel Farhan Halasa

Wen-Liang Hsu

Ping Zhang

Shingo Futamura

George Frank Balogh

Neil Arthur Maly

Joseph John Kulig

Roger Neil Beers

Joseph Kevin Hubbell

Xiaoping Yang

Richard La Duca

Michael Julian Crawford

Xiaofan Luo

Ilana S Aldor

Leonard James Reiter

Bernard Matthew Bezilla, Jr

Rachel Rebekah Barnette

Jeremy Elton Miracle

Tarah Pecora Shpargel

Donald Allan Abbott

Michael S Ivany

Marc Borowczak

Brian David Holden

Fredrick Lewis Magnus

Bina Patel Botts

Kuo-Chih Hua

Kenneth Allen Bates

Jennifer Lyn Ryba

Walter Kevin Westgate

Steven Wayne Cronin

Teresa Diane Martter

Ginger Lee

Brad Stephen Gulas

Rebecca Lee Dando

Ran Ding

Blake Edward Matthies

Adeyemi A Adepetun

James William Prentis

Samuel Patrick Landers

Joseph C Mcauliffe

Bernard Matthew Bezilla

Rober Neil Beers

The invention features methods for producing isoprene from cultured cells. The invention also provides compositions that include these cultured cells.

Compositions and methods for producing isoprene

This invention is based upon the discovery that the silica compounding additives of this invention can be included in silica reinforced rubber formulations to increase the low strain dynamic stiffness exhibited by the rubber composition without a substantial increase in the cured compound hysteresis. This increase in stiffness allows for use of process aids that would otherwise result in an unacceptable further reduction in low strain dynamic stiffness. The present invention specifically discloses a rubber formulation which is comprised of (1) a rubbery polymer, (2) a reinforcing silica, and (3) a silica compounding additive of the structural formula: wherein M represents a divalent metal, and wherein Rand Rcan be the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, alkylene groups, hydroxyl substituted alkyl or alkylene groups, amine substituted alkyl or alkylene groups and thiol substituted alkyl or alkylene groups.

Additive for silica reinforced rubber formulations

This invention is based upon the discovery that hydroxylated carboxylic acids which contain at least 17 carbon atoms and zinc, aluminum or alkaline earth metal salts thereof, such as zinc ricinoleate, act effectively as deodorants in asphalt and asphalt containing compositions. The present invention more specifically discloses an asphalt additive composition which is comprised of (1) an asphalt, (2) 0.05 weight percent to about 4 weight percent of a partitioning agent, and (3) at least 0.1 weight percent of a deodorant selected from the group consisting of (a) a hydroxylated carboxylic acid which contains at least 17 carbon atoms and (b) an aluminum, zinc, or alkaline earth metal salt of a hydroxylated carboxylic acid which contains at least 17 carbon atoms. In many applications it is beneficial for the asphalt additive composition to further include 0.5 weight percent to about 50 weight percent of a polymer additive.

Deodorized asphalt additive composition

This invention is based upon the discovery that a hydroxylated carboxylic acids which contain at least 17 carbon atoms and zinc, aluminium, or alkaline earth metal salts thereof, such as zinc ricinoleate, act effectively as deodorants in asphalt and asphalt containing compositions. The present invention more specifically discloses an asphalt additive composition which is comprised of (1) an asphalt, (2) 0.05 weight percent to about 4 weight percent of a partitioning agent, and (3) at least 0.1 weight percent of a deodorant selected from the group consisting of (a) a hydroxylated carboxylic acid which contains at least 17 carbon atoms and (b) an aluminium, zinc, or alkaline earth metal salt of a hydroxylated carboxylic acid which contains at least 17 carbon atoms. In many applications it is beneficial for the asphalt additive composition to further include 0.5 weight percent to about 50 weight percent of a polymer additive.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing an organically functionalized layered double hydroxide which comprises reacting (a) a layered double hydroxide, (b) a triglyceride oil, (c) an enzyme which is capable of catalyzing the hydrolysis of an ester, and (d) water, to produce the organically functionalized layered double hydroxide. The subject invention further reveals a method for preparing an organically functionalized layered double hydroxide which comprises (1) dispersing into an aqueous medium (a) the layered double hydroxide, (b) the triglyceride oil, and (c) the enzyme, (2) allowing the triglyceride oil to hydrolyze into long-chain fatty acids and glycerol to produce a dispersion of the organically functionalized layered double hydroxide; and (3) recovering the organically functionalized layered double hydroxide from the aqueous dispersion.

Organic functionalization of layered double hydroxides

It has been found that certain cells in culture can convert more than about 0.002 percent of the carbon available in the cell culture medium into isoprene. These cells have a heterologous nucleic acid that (i) encodes an isoprene synthase polypeptide and (ii) is operably linked to a promoter. The isoprene produced in such a cultured medium can then be recovered and polymerized into synthetic rubbers and other useful polymeric materials. The synthetic isoprene containing polymers of this invention offer the benefit of being verifiable as to being derived from non-petrochemical based resources. They can also be analytically distinguished from rubbers that come from natural sources. The present invention more specifically discloses a polyisoprene polymer which is comprised of repeat units that are derived from isoprene monomer, wherein the polyisoprene polymer has &#x3b4;C value of greater than &#x2212;22%.

Polymers of isoprene from renewable resources

This invention is based upon the discovery that activated carbon can be used to sequester polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that may be present in asphalt and creosote compositions. The treatment of asphalt and creosote compositions with activated carbon accordingly reduces the level of free polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in such compositions by sequestering them therein or removing them from the composition. After being sequestered the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons remain trapped in the asphalt or creosote composition, and are not available to the environment during normal processing into useful industrial products. This sequestration reduces the risk of exposing humans and the environment to the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons which would otherwise be free to migrate from the asphalt or creosote product during manufacturing and the service life of the product. In other words, the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are absorbed onto the activated carbon and are not available for bioaccumulation from the environment.

Sequestering polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in asphalt

The present invention relates to a tire having a rubber tread of a lug and groove configuration wherein at least a portion of surface of the grooves is comprised of an elastomeric layer having a repellent property.

Tire having tread with repellent groove surface

It has been found that certain cells in culture can convert more than about 0.002 percent of the carbon available in the cell culture medium into isoprene. These cells have a heterologous nucleic acid that (i) encodes an isoprene synthase polypeptide and (ii) is operably linked to a promoter. The isoprene produced in such a cultured medium can then be recovered and polymerized into synthetic rubbers and other useful polymeric materials. The synthetic isoprene containing polymers of this invention offer the benefit of being verifiable as to being derived from non-petrochemical based resources. They can also be analytically distinguished from rubbers that come from natural sources. The present invention more specifically discloses a polyisoprene polymer which is comprised of repeat units that are derived from isoprene monomer, wherein the polyisoprene polymer has &#x3b4;C value of greater than &#x2212;22&#x2030;.

Polymers of isropene from renewable resources

The invention relates to a tire having a rubber tread comprised of cap/base construction where the tread cap layer provides the running surface of the tread and the tread base layer underlies the tread cap layer and thereby provides a transition between the tread cap layer and the tire carcass. For this invention, the tread cap layer is comprised of a plurality of individual circumferential load-bearing zones of rubber compositions, which exhibit graduated physical properties, and which extend from the outer running surface of the tread cap layer radially inward to said tread base layer. In one aspect, the zoned rubber tread cap layer and rubber tread base layer are co-extruded together to form a unit as an integral tread rubber composite.

Tire with rubber tread of circumferential zones with graduated physical properties

In one embodiment, a pneumatic tire having a built-in sealant layer, before cure, includes an unvulcanized pneumatic tire assembly having an outer circumferential rubber tread and a supporting carcass. A precursor sealant layer is situated between the supporting carcass and an innermost rubber inner liner. The precursor sealant layer includes a non-flowing polyurethane composition that is neither gel-like nor tacky and is self-supporting. The precursor sealant layer, during curing of the unvulcanized pneumatic tire assembly, thermally degrades so as to provide a gel-like and tacky, self-healing polyurethane composition which defines the built-in sealant layer. The resulting tire, with its innermost polyurethane composition, allows for elimination or reduction in blister formation by reducing or elimination the amount of gases typically given off by organoperoxide-butyl based sealant layers, such as when the tire is at its running temperature. Consequently, the thickness of the inner liner may be reduced.

Pneumatic tire having built-in sealant layer and preparation thereof

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Kent, OH, United States of America

Aaron Scott Puhala