The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

The Ohio State University

Wen-Liang Hsu

Adel Farhan Halasa

Paul Harry Sandstrom

Barry A Matrana

Chad Aaron Jasiunas

Laurie Elizabeth Austin

David John Zanzig

Edward John Blok

Shingo Futamura

John Robert Zuppo, Iii

Neil Arthur Maly

Bill B Gross

Scott M Christian

Jin-Ping Zhou

Bruce Raymond Hahn

Steven Kristofer Henning

John J Verthe

Michael B Rodgers

Kenneth Allen Bates

Kuo-Chih Hua

Leh-Yeh Hsu, Legal Representative

Eric Sean Castner

Robert W Strozier

Douglas D Callander

Manoj Ajbani

Cheryl Ann Losey

Danielle Lucas

Ginger Lee

Stanley M Mezynski

Lawson G Wideman

Dane Kenton Parker

John Joseph Andre Verthe

Mark Leslie Kralevich, Jr

Joseph Kevin Hubbell

Warren James Busch

Sheldon G Shore

David Michael Smith, Sr

Scott Edwards Johnson

Joel L Cox

Richard J Kurr

Corey Stanton Yon

Abderrahim Khadir

Aaron Michael Ryba

Marc Weydert

Aaron Scott Puhala

William C Tung

Naoya Ogata

David Andrew Benko

Johnny Dale Massie, Ii

Michael Lester Kerns

Raymond Robert DiRossi

Edward Lee Johnson

Jean Steininger Clites

Teresa Diane Martter

Jennifer Leigh Gabor

Charles John Pearson

Brian John Doucet

Richard M Scriver

Gerald L Allen

Jennifer Elizabeth Labbe

Scott K Armstrong

Olivier Louis

Joe Zhou

Lauire Elizabeth Austin

Timothy John Wolfgang

Yi Feng

This invention discloses a process for the synthesis of a rubbery polymer by emulsion polymerization that comprised polymerizing (1) a conjugated diolefin monomer and (2) a functionalized monomer having the structural formula: wherein the Rgroups can be the same or different and represent hydrogen atoms or alkyl groups containing from 1 to about 8 carbon atoms, wherein Rrepresents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group containing from 1 to about 8 carbon atoms, wherein Rrepresents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group containing from 1 to about 8 carbon atoms, and wherein Rrepresents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group containing from 1 to about 8 carbon atoms, with the proviso that if Rrepresent an alkyl group then Rrepresents a hydrogen atom, and with the proviso that Rrepresents an alkyl group then Rrepresents a hydrogen atom, wherein said polymerization is conducted in an aqueous medium, and wherein said polymerization is initiated with a free radical initiator.

Functionalized rubbery polymers

The present invention is directed to a catalyst system for synthesizing rubbery polymers, such as polybutadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, isoprene-butadiene rubber, or styrene-isoprene-butadiene rubber, that are amine functionalized and have a high trans microstructure. The catalyst system, in one embodiment, includes (a) an organolithium amine compound, (b) a group IIa metal salt of an amino glycol or a glycol ether, (c) an organoaluminum compound, and optionally (d) an amine compound. The amine functionalized rubbery polymers can be utilized in tire tread rubbers where the rubbery polymers may provide desirable wear properties without substantially sacrificing other performance characteristic(s), e.g., traction properties.

Catalyst system for synthesizing amine functionalized rubbery polymers having a high trans microstructure

This invention relates to a precipitated silica reinforced conjugated diene-based elastomer composition containing an alkoxysilane coupled, in-chain functionalized, conjugated diene-based elastomer and to a tire having at least one component thereof. Said in-chain functionalized conjugated diene-based elastomer is a conjugated diene-based elastomer which contains a plurality of at least one of in-chain p- and m-(2-pyrrolidinoethyl) styrene (PES) and m-(2-pyrrolidino-1-methylethyl) alpha-methylstyrene (PAMS) groups.

Rubber composition containing an alkoxysilane coupled in-chain functionalized elastomer and tire with component thereof

This invention discloses a process for making dilithium initiators in high purity. This process can be conducted in the absence of amines which is desirable since amines can act as modifiers for anionic polymerizations. The dilithium compounds made are highly desirable because they are soluble in aromatic solvents. The present invention also discloses a tire which is comprised of a generally toroidal-shaped carcass with an outer circumferential tread, two spaced beads, at least one ply extending from bead to bead and sidewalls extending radially from and connecting said tread to said beads, wherein said tread is adapted to be ground-contacting, and wherein said tread is a cured the rubber formulation which is comprised of (a) at least one rubbery polymer containing functional groups of the structural formula: wherein R, R' and R&#x2033; can be the same or different, wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, aryl groups, alkaryl groups, and amino aryl groups, and wherein R&#x2032; and R&#x2033; represent alkyl groups alkyl groups that contain from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and (b) at least one member selected from the group consisting of carbon black and silica.

Synthesis of soluble functionalized lithium initiators

A heterogeneous rubbery polymer is provided that includes a polymer chain derived from a vinyl aromatic monomer and a conjugated diolefin monomer, wherein from greater than 20 weight percent to about 40 weight percent of units in the rubbery polymer are derived from the vinyl aromatic monomer and from about 60 weight percent to about 80 weight percent of units in the rubbery polymer are derived from the conjugated diolefin monomer. The polymer chain is further characterized by having greater than zero and less than about 30 weight percent of the vinyl aromatic units in sequences containing 1 vinyl aromatic unit, from about 5 weight percent to about 20 weight percent of the vinyl aromatic units in sequences containing 5 to 8 vinyl aromatic units, and greater than zero and less than about 5 weight percent of the vinyl aromatic units in sequences containing 9 or more vinyl aromatic units.

Heterogeneous rubbery polymers having random, tapered, and block portions therein and methods of making same

This invention discloses a process for synthesizing a dendrimer of a rubbery polymer comprising: (a) reacting a lithium terminated rubbery polymer with a halogenated tin containing compound to produce a polymer which is terminated with halogenated tin moieties, wherein the halogenated tin containing compound is of the structural formula: wherein X represents a halogen atom, wherein Zgroups can be the same or different and are selected from alkyl groups containing from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, wherein x represents an integer from 1 to 20, wherein the molar ratio of the lithium terminated rubbery polymer to halogen atoms in the halogenated tin containing compound is within the range of 2:n to (n&#x2212;1):n, wherein n represents the number of halogen atoms that are bonded directly to tin atoms in the halogenated tin containing compound; (b) reacting the polymer which is terminated with halogenated tin moieties with a molar excess of a tertiary alcohol to produce a polymer which is terminated with hydroxy tin moieties; and (c) allowing the polymer which is terminated with the hydroxy tin moieties to couple under conditions sufficient to produce a dendrimer of the rubbery polymer.

Dendrimers of rubbery polymers

The present invention is directed to a catalyst system for synthesizing rubbery polymers, such as polybutadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, isoprene-butadiene rubber, or styrene-isoprene-butadiene rubber, that are amine functionalized and have a high trans or high vinyl microstructure. The catalyst system, in one embodiment, includes an organolithium amine compound, and one or more of (a) a group IIa metal salt of an amino glycol or a glycol ether, (b) an organoaluminum compound, or (c) an amine compound. The amine functionalized rubbery polymers can be utilized in tire tread rubbers where the rubbery polymers may provide desirable wear properties without substantially sacrificing other performance characteristic(s), e.g., traction properties.

Catalyst system for synthesizing amine functionalized rubbery polymers

This invention discloses a process for synthesizing a dendrimer of a rubbery polymer comprising: (a) reacting a lithium terminated rubbery polymer with a halogenated silicon containing compound to produce a polymer which is terminated with halogenated silicon moieties, wherein the halogenated silicon contain compound has at least four halogen atoms which are bonded directly to silicon atoms, wherein the ratio of the lithium terminated rubbery polymer to halogen atoms in the halogenated silicon containing compound is within the range of 2:n to (n-1):n, wherein n represents the number of halogen atoms that are bonded directly to silicon atoms in the halogenated silicon containing compound, wherein the halogenated silicon containing compound contains at least three halogen atoms which are bonded directly to a silicon atom; (b) reacting the polymer which is terminated with halogenated silicon moieties with a molar excess of a tertiary alcohol to produce a polymer which is terminated with hydroxy silyl moieties; and (c) allowing the polymer which is terminated with the hydroxy silyl moieties to couple under conditions sufficient to produce a dendrimer containing siloxane linkages. It has also be found that similar dendrimers having improved processability can be make utilizing halogenated tin containing compounds in stead of the halogenated silicon containing compound.

The present invention is directed to a catalyst system for synthesizing rubbery polymers, such as styrene-butadiene rubber, that can be utilized in tire tread rubbers. The catalyst system, in one embodiment, includes an organolithium compound and a potassium alkyl borohydride or potassium alkyl aluminum hydride defined by: (R)A(H)K, wherein A is boron or aluminum, H is hydrogen, K is potassium, and R, which is the same or different, is either H, a C-Calkyl, a C-Ccycloalkyl, phenyl, or phenyl substituted C-Calkyl, or a C-Ccycloalkyl, with the proviso that at least one R is a C-Calkyl, and further wherein any two R's may optionally be part of a carbocyclic ring. The rubbery polymers can have low to medium vinyl microstructure content, i.e., from about 10% to about 40%, and are useful in tire tread rubber compounds which can exhibit improved wear and tear characteristics.

Potassium based catalyst systems for synthesizing rubbery polymers

Rubbery polymers can be formed having the general formula:RRN&#x2014;(CH)&#x2014;X&#x2014;CH&#x2014;CHRRwherein Rand Rare independently selected from a group consisting of alkyls, cycloalkyls, alkenyls, cycloalkenyls, aryls, phenyls, heterocycles, acyls, and silanes, or Rin combination with Rforms a heterocyclic ring; n is an integer from 1 to 20; X is selected from a group consisting of sulfur, a phosphorus moiety, and a silicon moiety; Rand Rare one of hydrogen, alkyls, alkenyls, and at least one of which includes reactive unsaturation such as an alkenyl group. Moreover, this invention discloses a process of making functionalized rubbery polymers from the functionalized monomers.

Functionalized monomers and functionalized rubbery polymers made therewith

This invention relates to the preparation of silica-containing rubber compositions which contain precipitated silica reinforcement and use of an oligomeric organomercaptosilane coupling agent containing a plurality of mercapto and silane moieties, and a minimal content, if any, of ethoxy groups and is thus substantially free of ethoxy groups. The interaction of the plurality of mercapto moieties, or groups, of such oligomeric organomercaptosilane with the diene-based elastomer can promote a significant viscosity build up of the uncured rubber composition in a preliminary non-productive mixing stage and therefore present significant rubber processing difficulties during the mixing of the rubber composition. A challenge is therefore presented for reducing such viscosity buildup for such uncured silica-containing rubber composition.

Silica reinforced rubber composition and use in tires

The present invention is directed to rubbery block polymers containing a polylactone, such as polycaprolactone, methods of making the same, and to rubber compounds containing those block polymers. The rubbery block polymer is an anionically polymerized block polymer defined by A-B, wherein A includes at least one type of polymerized conjugated diene monomer, a polymerized vinyl aromatic monomer, or a mixture thereof and wherein B is a polylactone, such as polycaprolactone, which is hydroxy terminated. The rubbery block polymer may be compounded so to provide, for example, a tire tread with desirable properties for use in an automobile tire. Such rubber compound, for example, can include the rubbery block polymer, an organosilane coupling agent, such as a bis(trialkoxysilyl) alkane, bis(trialkoxysilylalkyl) polysulfide, or mixtures thereof, and silica filler in specified amounts.

Rubbery block polymers containing polylactone and rubber compounds including the same

This invention discloses a process for synthesizing a dendrimer of a rubbery polymer comprising: (a) reacting a lithium terminated rubbery polymer with a halogenated silicon containing compound to produce a polymer which is terminated with halogenated silicon moieties, wherein the halogenated silicon contain compound has at least four halogen atoms which are bonded directly to silicon atoms, wherein the ratio of the lithium terminated rubbery polymer to halogen atoms in the halogenated silicon containing compound is within the range of 2:n to (n&#x2212;1):n, wherein n represents the number of halogen atoms that are bonded directly to silicon atoms in the halogenated silicon containing compound, wherein the halogenated silicon containing compound contains at least three halogen atoms which are bonded directly to a silicon atom; (b) reacting the polymer which is terminated with halogenated silicon moieties with a molar excess of a tertiary alcohol to produce a polymer which is terminated with hydroxy silyl moieties; and (c) allowing the polymer which is terminated with the hydroxy silyl moieties to couple under conditions sufficient to produce a dendrimer containing siloxane linkages. It has also be found that similar dendrimers having improved processability can be make utilizing halogenated tin containing compounds in stead of the halogenated silicon containing compound.

This invention relates to a silica reinforced rubber composition containing an ionic compound and article having a component thereof. The invention particularly relates to an article such as a rubber tire having a component of such rubber composition. Said ionic compound is composed of a combination of an organic cation moiety and an organic or inorganic anion moiety. Said ionic compound is desirably an ionically conductive ionic compound. The invention particularly relates to improvement of one or more physical properties of a rubber composition by an inclusion of such ionic compound and/or providing a path of least electrical resistance for a electrically resistive component of an article such as a tire by an inclusion in the rubber composition of said component of an ionically conductive ionic compound composed of a combination of an organic cation moiety and an organic or inorganic anion moiety.

Silica reinforced rubber composition containing an ionic compound and article having a component thereof

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Cuyahoga Falls, OH, United States of America

Wen-Liang Hsu