Exxonmobil Chemical Patents Inc.

The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.

Veyance Technologies, Inc.

Michael Brendan Rodgers

Weiqing Weng

John Patrick Soisson

Robert Norman Webb

Anthony Jay Dias

Sunny Jacob

Rick M Davis

Molly Westermann Johnston

Shawn W Mowry

Bharat Bhushan Sharma

Nitin Kamalakar Tambe

Andy Haishung Tsou

Jung Hun Lee

David John Lohse

Yuichi Hara

Porter Clarke Shannon

James Peter Stokes

Yoshihiro Soeda

Hirokazu Shibata

Saifudin M Abubakar

Yuan-Ju Chen

Michael Charles Bulawa

Marvin C Hill

Thomas R Barbee

Robert J Claassen, Ii

Yuan-Ju (Ray) Chen

Scott C Solis

Yanan Gong

Luke P Stephens

Bernard D'Cruz

Jay Kin M Keung

Molly W Upton

Rick Dowell Davis

Thomas Read Barbee

Shawn William Mowry

Rubber blends including natural rubber and at least one propylene-based elastomer are provided herein. The rubber blends have good anti-aging properties as well as high gloss. Methods of making the rubber blends and articles made from the rubber blends, such as tires, are also provided.

Rubber blends, articles thereof, and methods of making the same

To obtain an elastomeric composite crumb having a majority of the particle size distribution greater than 0.33 cm, the crumb is obtained by a process whereby the elastomeric composite comprises less than about 0.5 phr of a salt of a Cto Ccarboxylic acid, or 10 to 20 phr of a tackifying resin or a combination of both an absence of carboxylic acid and the presence of the tackifying resin. The use of one or both methods permits control of crumb particle size distribution in emulsion or solution processes for producing elastomeric nanocomposites. The elastomeric composite is also disclosed.

Filled elastomeric composite and process to control composite crumb size

This disclosure is directed to nanocomposite compositions that are suitable for air bladders, innertubes, innerliners and other desirable air-retention articles. In particular, this disclosure is directed to compositions that include the nanocomposite, the nanocomposite made in such that its air-retention properties are much improved over what is known, while maintaining desirable elasticity and processability. In a particular aspect, an air-retention article such as an innerliner if formed by first contacting a desirable elastomer, especially a functionalized poly(isobutylene-co-p-methylstyrene) elastomer, with one or more layered fillers such as a clay described further below, and also contacting one or more processing aids, and one or more solvents to form an nanocomposite composition. The nanocomposite composition is then precipitated to form the solid nanocomposite composition which can be dried and further blended with other suitable ingredients such as, for example, curative agents, thus forming an innerliner suitable for a tire or other article.

Elastomer nanocomposites with incorporated process oils

Disclosed is an ethylene-propylene copolymer having isotactic polypropylene crystallinity compounded with a halobutyl rubber in an amount effective to improve one or more of aged tensile strength retention, fatigue resistance, and dimensional stability. Also disclosed is an elastomer composition wherein the copolymer can have at least 60 wt % propylene-derived units and at least 6 wt % ethylene-derived units, and a tire inner tube or tire innerliner composition comprising from 1 to 10 phr copolymer. Also disclosed is a vulcanizate of the elastomer composition, and articles, tire innerliners, tires, and tire inner tubes comprising the vulcanizate. Further disclosed are processes for making molded articles, tire inner tubes and tires.

Propylene copolymers in elastomeric compositions

An elastomeric nanocomposite contains: (a) at least one elastomer comprising units derived from isoolefins having from 4 to 7 carbon atoms; (b) at least 10 phr of a carbon black; and (c) at least 1 phr of a nanoclay; wherein when the nanocomposite is used in an article, the article has a gas permeation coefficient of 80.0 cc*mm/[m-day] at 40&#xb0; C. The carbon black may be graphitized to reduce interactions between the carbon black and the nanoclays. The elastomeric nanocomposite may, with or without the use of the graphitized carbon black, may calendared or extruded in such a manner as to orient the nanoclay platelets within the composition such that the oriented nanoclay elastomer nanocomposite has an orientation parameter of greater than 0.15.

Elastomeric nanocomposites, nanocomposite compositions, and methods of manufacture

An elastomeric composition for a curing bladder comprises isobutylene based elastomer, curative and a hydrocarbon polymer modifier comprising monomers selected from the group consisting of piperylenes, cyclic pentadienes, aromatics, limonenes, pinenes, amylenes, and combinations thereof, wherein the cyclic pentadienes comprise at least 10 weight percent of the monomers by total weight of the monomers. Also disclosed are a tire curing bladder made from the elastomeric composition, a tire curing press containing the bladder, a method of making the tire curing bladder, an improvement to the process of making the tire curing bladder to improve processability of the mixture and fatigue life and DeMattia cut growth, a method of making a tire using the tire curing bladder, and an improvement to the process of making a tire to extend a pull point of the curing bladder and/or to reduce the curing time for the tire construct.

Tire curing bladders

Provided are elastomeric compositions comprising at least one elastomer and a hydrocarbon polymer additive. Preferably the hydrocarbon polymer additive comprises from 60 to 90% piperylene, from 5 to 15% cyclic components, from 5 to 20% styrenic components, up to 5% isoprene, up to 5% indenic components, and up to 10% amylene. Also provided are elastomeric compositions comprising at least one elastomer and a hydrocarbon polymer additive, wherein the hydrocarbon polymer additive has a molecular weight of from 520 to 650 g/mole and a glass transition temperature (Tg) of from 48 to 53&#xb0; C. The elastomeric compositions are particularly useful in making tires and other cured rubber articles.

Elastomeric compositions comprising hydrocarbon polymer additives

A nanocomposite is formed from at least one copolymer and at least one nanofiller. The copolymer is formed of units derived from isoolefins having from 4 to 7 carbon atoms and multiolefins. The nanofiller comprising a surfactant wherein the surfactant has the structure of (RRRR)Nwherein Ris benzyl derived unit, which may or may not be substituted, wherein Ris selected from Cto Calkyls, Cto Calkenes, and Cto Caryls, and wherein Rand Rare the same or different and are independently selected from Cto Calkyls, Cto Calkenes, and Cto Caryls.

A layered structure suitable for use in a pneumatic tire as an innerliner is prepared by directly bonding a fluid permeation prevention film and an adhesive tie layer. Prior to the bonding, the fluid permeation prevention layer is treated to remove any residual plasticizers or oils on the surface of the film. The tie layer comprises 100 weight % of at least one halogenated isobutylene containing elastomer and about 1 to about 20 parts per hundred (phr) of at least one tackifier. The fluid permeation prevention film comprises an elastomeric component dispersed in a vulcanized or partially vulcanized state, as a discontinuous phase, in a matrix of the thermoplastic resin component. The two layers of the layered structure may be separately extruded and then adhered to each other or adhered to each other during a calendaring operation wherein the adhesive tie layer composition is coated onto the treated film.

Construction comprising tie layer

Disclosed is an ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer having isotactic polypropylene crystallinity compounded with a blend rubber wherein the terpolymer can be present in an amount effective to improve tack, aged tensile strength retention, fatigue resistance, ozone cracking resistance, and reversion resistance. Also disclosed is an elastomer composition wherein the terpolymer can have at least 60 wt % propylene-derived units, at least 6 wt % ethylene-derived units and from 0.3 to 10 wt % diene-derived units, and a tire sidewall composition comprising from 10 to 30 phr terpolymer, from 20 to 60 phr natural rubber, from 20 to 60 phr polybutadiene rubber, and an optional secondary blend rubber. Also disclosed is a vulcanizate of the elastomer composition, and articles, tire sidewalls, tires, retreaded tires, bias truck tires, off-road tires, and passenger automobile tires made with the vulcanizate. Further disclosed are processes for making molded articles and tires, and for retreading tires.

Ethylene-propylene terpolymers in tire sidewalls

An elastomeric compositions having improved impermeability is disclosed. The cured elastomeric composition may comprise at least one C-Cmonoolefin elastomer, a hydrocarbon polymer additive, and a clay. In some embodiments, the cured elastomeric composition has a permeation coefficient at 40&#xb0; C. of 90 cc*mm/(m-day) or less. In some embodiments, the elastomeric composition is substantially free of naphthenic oil.

Elastomeric compositions comprising hydrocarbon polymer additives having improved impermeability

A nanocomposite comprising at least one elastomer and at least one nanofiller. The elastomer comprises units derived from isoolefins having from 4 to 7 carbon atoms and at least one multiolefin. The nanofiller comprise a layered filler and an amine modifier wherein the nanofiller is substantially free of any unassociated amines. By eliminating unassociated amines in the nanofiller, prior to contact with the elastomer, the nanocomposite has improved processability characteristics while maintaining desired impermeability characteristics.

An elastomeric nanocomposite is produced from an isobutylene-based polymer and a layered nanofiller. The process of preparing the nanocomposite includes the steps of a) polymerizing isobutylene monomers and multiolefin monomers to produce an isobutylene-based polymer; b) completing at least one mass transfer dependent stage in the process wherein, after completion of the stage and prior to any recovery of the polymer, the polymer is dissolved in a solvent to create a polymer cement; c) contacting the layered nanofiller and the polymer solvent to obtain the nanocomposite; and d) recovering the nanocomposite. The layered nanofiller may be in a slurry prior to contacting with the polymer cement.

Elastomeric nanocomposite manufacturing

Elastomeric compositions comprising at least one Cto Cmonoolefin elastomer, at least one polyalphaolefin, and optionally at least one hydrocarbon polymer additive are disclosed. The PAO comprises oligomers of one or more Cto Calpha-olefins having a kinematic viscosity at 100&#xb0; C. of 3 to 3000 cSt and a Mw/Mn of less than 4. In one aspect, the elastomeric composition may have improved flex fatigue properties and have a fatigue life of 450,000 Kc or more as measured by ASTM D 412 die C. In another aspect, an elastomeric composition may have improved impermeability and have a permeation coefficient at 40&#xb0; C. of 160 cc*mm/(m&#x2212;day) or less.

Growing community of inventors

Seabrook, TX, United States of America

Michael Brendan Rodgers