The Goodyear & Tire Rubber Company

Thomas Robert Maier

Bruce Raymond Hahn

Surendra K Chawla

Brian John Doucet

Thierry Florent Edme Materne

This invention relates to a process of preparation of components and articles of manufacture containing at least one of such components, such as tires, and the resulting prepared components and fabricated articles, by use of directed high frequency energy internally heated silica-rich rubber compositions which contain sulfur curative and a significant content of high softening point polymer, namely a polymer and/or elastomer having a melting point (Tm) and/or high glass transition temperature (Tg) above 0&#xb0; C., and particularly above 30&#xb0; C., and which contains a minimal, if any, carbon black reinforcement. Such directed high frequency energy heating is provided, individually, by directed radio frequency (electromagnetic) radiation and/or by directed microwave radiation. Representative examples of such polymers may be, for example, trans 1,4-polybutadiene, 3,4-polyisoprene, natural cis 1,4-polyisoprene rubber, isoprene/butadiene copolymer having a high trans 1,4-polybutadiene component, polystyrene, styrene/butadiene rubber having a high trans 1,4-polybudadiene component and styrene/butadiene rubber having a high styrene content.

Preparation of components and articles with directed high frequency energy heated silica-rich rubber components containing high softening point polymer and sulfur curative

This invention specifically discloses a process for heating trans-1,4-polybutadiene to a temperature at which it can be processed without causing oxidative gelation which comprises heating the trans-1,4-polybutadiene by exposing it to electromagnetic radiation having a frequency in the range of about 2 MHz to about 80 MHz, wherein the trans-1,4-polybutadiene is oil-extended with at least 10 phr of a processing oil.

Radio frequency heating of trans-1, 4-polybutadiene

A process for separating acetone, dichloromethane and trifluoroacetic acid from a mixture of acetone, dichloromethane, and a trifluoroacetic acid/acetone azeotrope by (1) fractionally distilling the mixture of acetone, dichloromethane, and the trifluoroacetic acid/acetone azeotrope; (2) fractionally distilling the mixture of the trifluoroacetic acid/acetone azeotrope and free acetone; (3) adding at least about 16 parts of water to the trifluoroacetic acid/acetone azeotrope per 100 parts by volume of the trifluoroacetic acid/acetone azeotrope; (4) fractionally distilling the mixture of free acetone and the water/trifluoroacetic acid azeotrope; (5) adding at least about 10 parts of sulfuric acid to the water/trifluoroacetic acid azeotrope per 100 parts by volume of the water/trifluoroacetic acid azeotrope; (6) fractionally distilling the mixture of trifluoroacetic acid and the water/sulfuric acid complex.

Separation process

High molecular weight polyethyleneterephthalate resin is currently being used in vast quantities in manufacturing tire cord and in manufacturing trays for frozen foods which can be heated in either microwave or convection ovens. In some applications polyester resins having ultra-high molecular weights are required. For example, some techniques for producing polyester yarn by solution spinning demand ultra-high molecular weight polyester. Unfortunately, it becomes progressively more difficult and expensive to produce polyester resins having higher and higher molecular weights utilizing standard commercial polymerization techniques. This invention discloses a technique for preparing porous polyester beads which can be solid state polymerized very rapidly to ultra-high molecular weights. This invention more specifically discloses a process for preparing ultra-high molecular weight polyester resin which comprises: (1) dissolving a polyester prepolymer in a suitable organic solvent to produce a polyester prepolymer solution; (2) allowing droplets of the polyester prepolymer solution to drip into a coagulation bath to produce porous polyester beads; (3) recovering the porous polyester beads from the coagulation bath; (4) removing residual organic solvent from the porous beads; and (5) solid state polymerizing the porous polyester beads at an elevated temperature to produce the ultra-high molecular weight polyester resin.

Growing community of inventors

Brecksville, OH, United States of America

Thomas Robert Maier