Cooper Tire & Rubber Company

Zachary D Walters

Howard Allen Colvin

A tire tread composition includes a quantity of an elastomer including guayule natural rubber, and a quantity of a hydrocarbon resin substantially evenly distributed throughout the elastomer. The elastomer of the tire tread composition may consist entirely of guayule natural rubber. The hydrocarbon resin may be selected to have a predetermined miscibility in the guayule natural rubber. The predetermined miscibility is measured by a deviation of actual Tg from predicted Tg for either the tire tread composition or an elastomer-resin mixture consistent with the elastomer and resin used in the tire tread composition. In particular, the predetermined miscibility in the guayule natural rubber is less than about six percent (6%) deviation in the actual Tg from the predicted Tg at a 20 phr loading.

Natural rubber tire tread compound

A method for stabilizing a natural rubber such as guayule. The method includes the step of introducing at least one of an Extraction Curves for Guayule Rubber Samples amine and a phenolic anti-oxidant, such as MADA, to a latex form of the rubber under conditions such that the anti-oxidant becomes chemically bound to the rubber. The method includes the further step of subsequently treating the rubber to remove at least a substantial portion of entrained resins. The method can yield a rubber composition of, for example, guayule rubber and including an anti-oxidant chemically bound thereto. The resultant rubber can be suitable for use in tire construction.

Growing community of inventors

Findlay, OH, United States of America

Zachary D Walters