Rubber compositions containing whey protein
AssigneeBridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
InventorsBenjamin C. Galizio, Amy M. Randall, Melissa M. Clark
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Abstract
The present disclosure is directed to rubber compositions comprising a butyl rubber or a halogenated butyl rubber, at least one filler, and a whey protein component. The whey protein component is present in an amount sufficient to provide about 0.1 to about 10 phr whey protein in the rubber composition. The present disclosure is also directed to methods of preparing such rubber compositions and to a tire innerliner or innertube containing the rubber compositions disclosed herein.
Claims20
A rubber composition comprising:
- a. at least one of a butyl rubber or a halogenated butyl rubber;
- b. at least one filler in an amount of about 5 to about 200 phr;
- and
- c. a whey protein component in an amount sufficient to provide about 0.1 to about 10 phr whey protein,
- wherein the whey protein meets all of the following:
- d. a majority of the protein chains in the whey protein have a molecular weight of greater than about 10 kDaltons;
- e. a majority of the proteins in the whey protein are a combination of alpha-lactalbumin and beta-lactoglobulin;
- and
- f. a degree of hydrolysis of less than 50%.
A rubber composition that has been subjected to curing, the rubber composition comprising:
- a. at least one of a butyl rubber or a halogenated butyl rubber;
- b. at least one filler in an amount of about 5 to about 200 phr;
- c. whey protein in an amount of about 0.1 to about 10 phr;
- and
- d. a cure package,
- wherein the whey protein meets all of the following:
- e. a majority of the protein chains in the whey protein have a molecular weight of greater than about 10 kDaltons;
- f. a majority of the proteins in the whey protein are a combination of alpha-lactalbumin and beta-lactoglobulin;
- and
- g. a degree of hydrolysis of less than 50%.
A method for improving at least one of green strength and air permeability of a vulcanized rubber composition used in a tire innerliner or innertube, the method comprising incorporating about 0.1 to about 10 phr of whey protein powder and at least 50 phr of at least one of butyl rubber or halogenated butyl rubber inlcuding at least 50 phr of bromobutyl rubber into the rubber composition that is used in the innerliner.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.