Cabot Corporation

Beyond Lotus LLC

Ralph E Dickinson

Martin C Green

Michael D Morris

Yakov E Kutsovsky

Frederick Harry Rumpf

Jincheng Xiong

Dhaval Arun Doshi

Irina S Yurovskaya

Ani T Nikova

Ping Zhang

Satyan Choudhary

Michael Beaulieu

Brian N Hult

Jiaxi Li

Hassan M Ali

Anand Prakash

Gerald D Adler

Vijay R Tirumala

Meng-Jiao Wang

Trevor Alan Brown

Disclosed herein are methods of preparing composites from solid elastomer(s) and wet filler(s), as well as products, including composites, vulcanizates, and articles therefrom. The wet filler can have a liquid content of at least 15%. A resulting composite comprises the filler dispersed in the elastomer at a loading of at least 20 phr with a filler yield loss of no more than 10%, wherein the composite has a liquid content of no more than 10% by weight based on total weight of said composite.

Methods of preparing a composite having elastomer and filler

Blends of elastomer composites with unfilled or less highly filled elastomer reduces hysteresis without compromising reinforcement. Hysteresis may also be reduced by adjusting the compounding method.

Elastomer composites, blends and methods for preparing same

Novel methods of making elastomer compositions irclude the use of certain modifying agents and mechanical working prior to incorporation of a vulcanization system in a first or other early stage of a multi-stage process particulate filler, such as carbon black, and sulfur cross-linking agent are substantially dispersed into sulfur crosslinkable hydrocarbon elastomer. The particulate filler and sulfur crosslinking agent can be pre-mixed together as a pre-blend prior to being added to the elastomer. A substantially unvulcanized, processable elastomer is produced by the multi-stage process, involving further mechanical working of the initial masterbatch. A curative additive comprising accelerator, and optionally additional sulfur crosslinking agent, can be added and dispersed in the elastomer to produce a vulcanizable composition. In accordance with another aspect, extender oil is added to the elastomer subsequent to addition and substantial dispersion of the filler and sulfur crosslinking agent into the elastomer in the aforesaid early stage of the multi-stage process. Significant improvement in performance characteristics is achieved, especially by preferred embodiments, including good abrasion resistance and low hysteresis measured, for example, as tan delta-max at 70&deg; C. The present invention further relates to novel unvulcanized, processable elastomer compositions comprising certain treated carbon black particulate filler and certain pre-vulcanization modifier in an amount effective to substantially increase bound rubber content in a substantially unvulcanized processable elastomer product of a non-productive thermo-mechanical working of the elastomer composition.

Elastomer compositions and methods

In a multi-stage process for producing a substantially unvulcanized elastomer composition, a masterbatch is produced by thermomechanical working in a first or other early stage of the multi-stage process. The masterbatch comprises sulfur crosslinkable hydrocarbon elastomer in which is substantially dispersed, particulate fillers, for example carbon black or silicon-treated carbon black, modified carbon black and/or silica and sulfur crosslinking agent effective to crosslink the hydrocarbon elastomer and selected from sulfur donors and sulfur. The filler and sulfur crosslinking agent can be mixed together as a pre-blend prior to being added to the elastomer. The substantially unvulcanized elastomer is then produced in one or more later stages of the multi-stage process, involving further theromechanical working of the masterbatch. A curative additive comprising accelerator, and optionally additional sulfur crosslinking agent, is added and dispersed in the elastomer in the last stage of the multistage process. In accordance with another aspect, oil is added to the elastomer subsequent to addition and substantial dispersion of the filler and sulfur crosslinking agent. The substantially unvulcanized elastomer composition can be cured or vulcanized to form tire tread and other commercial products. Significant improvement in performance characteristics is achieved by preferred embodiments, including good abrasion resistance and low hysteresis measured, for example, as tan .delta..sub.max at 70.degree. C.

Elastomer composition and method

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Dracut, MA, United States of America

Ralph E Dickinson