The Goodyear & Tire Rubber Company

Sun-Lin Chen

Ramesh N Gujarathi

Susan M Prentice

Thierry Florent Edme Materne

Daniel Edward Bowen, Iii

Howard Allen Colvin

Ping Zhang

Tang Hong Wong

The subject invention reveals a process for preparing a silica/rubber blend which comprises dispersing silica, a silica coupling agent, and a low molecular weight end-group functionalized diene rubber throughout a cement of a conventional rubbery polymer, and subsequently recovering the silica/rubber blend from the organic solvent. It further reveals a tire having a tread that is made from such a silica/rubber blend.

Process for preparing a silica rubber blend

This invention discloses a method for preparing rubber compositions that exhibit unique combinations of properties that are desirable for tire tread applications for enhanced snow/ice and wet traction, low rolling resistance and increased treadwear performance in comparison with conventional silica compounds. Specifically, a high reactively silane coupling agent, such as a mercaptosilane, is used in combination with a silane coupling typically used for silica tread compounds such as bis(triethoxylsilylpropyl)disulfide to treat silica pellets in a hydrocarbon solvent at elevated temperatures. The treated silica is then blended with solution elastomer cement in a hydrocarbon solvent. The deposited reactive silanes partially react with the elastomer molecules forming a layer of polymer grafted on the silica surfaced. This structure significantly improves the silica retention during the steam stripping operation. Almost 100% (99+%) silica retention has been achieved by this invention. After solvent removal from steam stripping, the treated silica/elastomer mixer is dewatered and dried using conventional equipment such as shaker screens, expellers and expanders to form a well-dispersed silica masterbatch. This technique results in silica compounds with excellent silica dispersion and increased filler-polymer interaction, hence enhanced compound performance such as better physical properties, more desirable dynamic properties (low hysteresis at high temperatures and high hysteresis at low temperatures) and increased abrasion resistance.

Silica containing rubber composition

Process for preparing a silica/rubber blend which includes dispersing silica, asilica coupling agent, and a low molecular weight end-group functionalized diene rubber throughout a cement of a conventional rubbery polymer, and subsequently recovering the silica/rubber blend from an organic solvent

This invention relates to the preparation of a silica reinforced elastomer via preparation of a silica-elastomer masterbatch as a composite of synthetic silica and an emulsion polymerization prepared synthetic elastomer. Such masterbatch is prepared by introducing such silica and a silane into a latex of the synthetic elastomer and recovering the composite thereof The invention further includes a rubber composition of at least two elastomers wherein at least one of said elastomers is such masterbatched composite. A tire having a component of such rubber composition, particularly a tire tread, is specifically contemplated.

Method for preparing elastomer/silica composite

A process for achieving a significant reduction in the volatile organic compound content (VOC) of an aqueous polymerization system includes the steps of contacting the aqueous polymerization system with an organic solvent and allowing said organic solvent to be absorbed into polymer particles of said aqueous polymerization system, contacting said aqueous polymerization system and organic solvent with a gas or vapor at temperature and pressure conditions which cause mass transfer of the volatile organic compounds from said latex into said gas or vapor phase, and separating said gas or vapor from said aqueous polymerization system. The solvent is generally absorbed into the polymer particles of the latex and serves as a stripping aid, especially with respect to higher molecular weight compounds which tend to remain trapped in the polymer particles during conventional stripping processes. An important advantage of the invention is that it facilitates significantly enhanced VOC reduction using conventional stripping apparatus with only relatively minor modifications thereto. The improved stripping performance of the invention is achieved without any significant deleterious effect on colloidal stability, average polymer particle size, solids content or other important latex properties.

Method for removing small amounts of high boiling point organic compound

The subject invention discloses a process for producing a neutralized latex that is useful in the manufacture of water reducible coatings which involves.

Process for producing stable latex

The subject invention discloses a process for producing a neutralized latex that is useful in the manufacture of water reducible coatings which involves:

The present invention relates to a free radical emulsion polymerization process. The latex is prepared by polymerizing (a) at least one conjugated diene, (b) at least one non-carboxylic vinyl aromatic or aliphatic comonomer selected from the group consisting of styrene, .alpha.-methyl styrene, p-methyl styrene, vinyl toleuene, acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, vinylidene chloride, ethyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, vinyl pyridine, methylmethacrylate, hexylacrylate, 2-ethyl hexyl acrylate or mixtures thereof, and (c) at least one ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, 3-carboxyethylacrylate, itaconic acid or mixtures thereof. The process of the present invention is characterized by (a) initially polymerizing the non-carboxylic comonomer in the presence of the unsaturated carboxylic acid and in the absence of any conjugated diene to a conversion of 3 to 12 percent to form a partially polymerized latex; and thereafter (b) copolymerizing the conjugated diene with the unreacted non-carboxylic comonomer in the partially polymerized latex. The present process mitigates the formation of codimers of the conjugated diene and non-carboxylic comonomer. The present process also provides a latex having unique film forming characteristics and polymer morphology leading to unique film stiffness and stress-strain relationship.

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Akron, OH, United States of America

Sun-Lin Chen