The Goodyear & Tire Rubber Company

Joel L Cox

Adel Farhan Halasa

Wen-Liang Hsu

Barry A Matrana

Michael B Rodgers

Stanley M Mezynski

George Frank Balogh

Bill B Gross

The subject invention discloses a styrene-isoprene-butadiene rubber which is particularly valuable for use in making truck tire treads, said rubber being comprised of repeat units which are derived from about 5 weight percent to about 20 weight percent styrene, from about 7 weight percent to about 35 weight percent isoprene, and from about 55 weight percent to about 88 weight percent 1,3-butadiene, wherein the repeat units derived from styrene, isoprene and 1,3-butadiene are in essentially random order, wherein from about 25% to about 40% of the repeat units derived from the 1,3-butadiene are of the cis-microstructure, wherein from about 40% to about 60% of the repeat units derived from the 1,3-butadiene are of the trans-microstructure, wherein from about 5% to about 25% of the repeat units derived from the 1,3-butadiene are of the vinyl-microstructure, wherein from about 75% to about 90% of the repeat units derived from the isoprene are of the 1,4-microstructure, wherein from about 10% to about 25% of the repeat units derived from the isoprene are of the 3,4-microstructure, wherein the rubber has a glass transition temperature which is within the range of about -90.degree. C. to about -70.degree. C., wherein the rubber has a number average molecular weight which is within the range of about 150,000 to about 400,000, wherein the rubber has a weight average molecular weight of about 300,000 to about 800,000, and wherein the rubber has an inhomogeneity which is within the range of about 0.5 to about 1.5.

Styrene-isoprene-butadiene rubber

Process for preparing styrene-isoprene-butadiene rubber

It has been determined that certain rubbery polymers having multiple glass transition temperatures can be utilized in making tires which have improved rolling resistance, improved wet skid resistance, and outstanding tread wear. These rubbery polymers are derived from at least one conjugated diolefin monomer, have a first glass transition temperature which is between -110.degree. C. and -20.degree. C. and have a second glass transition temperature which is between -50.degree. C. and 0.degree. C. These rubber polymers can be homopolymers of conjugated diolefin monomers, copolymers of more than one conjugated diolefin monomer, or copolymers derived from at least one conjugated diolefin monomer and at least one vinyl aromatic monomer.

Rubber composition

Growing community of inventors

North Canton, OH, United States of America

Joel L Cox