Bridgestone Corporation

Sandra Warren

James E Hall

Xiaorong Wang

Christopher G Robertson

Steven Luo

Hiroshi Mouri

Xiao-Dong Pan

Georg G A Böhm

Mark Arigo

Alberto Scurati

Noriko Mori

Jessica C Kurasch

Georg Böhm

Branched polymers including multi-branched polymers, functionalized branched polymers, star-branched polymers, and dendigraft polymers. Methods for the synthesis of branched polymers and method for the use of branched polymers in tire components are also included.

Branched polymers and methods for their synthesis and use

Provided is a polymer nanoparticle comprising a core and a vulcanizable shell, wherein the core has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of at least about 150&#xb0; C. Also provided is a method of preparing polymer nanoparticles with a core and a vulcanizable shell, comprising (a) in a liquid hydrocarbon medium, polymerizing conjugated diene monomers to produce a poly(conjugated diene) block and (b) copolymerizing the poly(conjugated diene) block with a mixture of mono-vinyl aromatic monomers and multiple-vinyl aromatic monomers to produce an aromatic block, wherein the core has a Tg of at least about 150&#xb0; C. Also provided is a composition comprising (a) a rubber matrix; and (b) a polymer nanoparticle including a core and a vulcanizable shell; wherein the Tg of the core is at least about 150&#xb0; C.

Vulcanizable nanoparticles having a core with a high glass transition temperature

A polymeric nanoparticle composition is provided. The nanoparticle may be of a core/shell configuration with an interphase region connecting the core and the shell. The mean average diameter of the polymer nanoparticles may be less than about 250 nm. The size, composition, and/or configuration of the interphase region may be varied to achieve desired physical and/or chemical properties of the resulting polymeric nanoparticles, and of the compositions into which the nanoparticles are compounded.

Polymeric core-shell nanoparticles with interphase region

A method for performing a one-batch synthesis of a blend of nanoparticles and liquid polymer includes polymerizing a first monomer and optionally a second monomer in a hydrocarbon solvent to form the liquid polymer. The polymerization is terminated before completion with a quenching agent. Then a charge of polymerization initiator, and a mixture of multiple-vinyl aromatic monomer and mono-vinyl aromatic monomer are added. This causes further polymerization whereby nanoparticles are formed in situ having a core including the multiple-vinyl aromatic monomer, and a shell including the first monomer or the first monomer and the second monomer. Liquid polymer/nanoparticle blends resulting from the method and rubber compositions incorporating the blends are also disclosed.

One-pot synthesis of nanoparticles and liquid polymer for rubber applications

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Gradignan, France

Sandra Warren