# US 10,479,881 B2 · Rubber compositions containing viscosity modifier and related methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,479,881 B2 - Document ID: US10479881B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/735,497 - Filed: 2016-05-31 - Published: 2018-06-07 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-11 - Assignees: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC - Applicants: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC - Inventors: Emily A. Welles; Michael P. Singleton; Amy M. Randall - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479881B2 ## CPC - C08L 7/00: Compositions of natural rubber - B60C 1/00: Tyres characterised by the chemical composition or the physical arrangement or mixture of the composition - B60C 1/0016: {Compositions of the tread} - C08K 3/04: Carbon - C08K 3/36: Silica - C08L 9/00: Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of conjugated diene hydrocarbons - C08L 9/06: Copolymers with styrene - C08L 23/16: Ethylene-propylene or ethylene-propylene-diene copolymers - C08L 23/22: Copolymers of isobutene; Butyl rubber; Homopolymers or copolymers of other iso-olefins - C08L 101/00: Compositions of unspecified macromolecular compounds - C08K 2003/2296: {of zinc} - C08K 2201/014: Additives containing two or more different additives of the same subgroup in C08K - C08L 91/00: Compositions of oils, fats or waxes; Compositions of derivatives thereof - C08L 2310/00: Masterbatches - C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06) - B60C: VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES - C08K: Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients (paints, inks, varnishes, dyes, polishes, adhesives C09) ## Abstract Disclosed herein are rubber compositions containing a viscosity modifier and related methods such as for preparing a rubber composition containing a viscosity modifier. The viscosity modifier is an olefin copolymer and may be utilized in a neat or in an oil-extended form. Use of the olefin copolymer viscosity modifier can improve both high and low temperature E of the rubber composition. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rubber composition comprising: a. 100 parts of at least one rubber; b. at least one olefin copolymer viscosity modifier in an amount of 0.5 to 10 phr; c. at least one reinforcing filler in an amount of 5 to 200 phr; and d. a cure package, wherein the at least one olefin copolymer viscosity modifier has a Mn of 2,000 to 1,000,000 grams/mole. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The rubber composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one olefin copolymer viscosity modifier is present in an amount of 1 to 5 phr. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The rubber composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one olefin copolymer viscosity modifier comprises an ethylene-α-olefin copolymer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The rubber composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one olefin copolymer viscosity modifier has a Mn of 20,000 to 250,000 grams/mole. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The rubber composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one olefin copolymer viscosity modifier comprises ethylene-propylene copolymer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The rubber composition of claim 1, wherein at least one of the following is met: a. at least a majority by weight of the at least one rubber comprises at least one of: natural rubber, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, or styrene-butadiene copolymer; b. the at least one reinforcing filler comprises: at least silica, optionally in combination with at least one carbon black; c. the rubber composition comprises no more than 5 parts of polyisobutylene-containing polymer or copolymer; e. the rubber composition comprises no more than 25 phr of resin; f. the rubber composition comprises 1 to 30 phr of at least one oil; or g. at least 50% by weight of the at least one reinforcing filler comprises silica. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The rubber composition of claim 6, wherein each of (a)-(g) is met. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The rubber composition of claim 6, wherein the rubber composition has a lower E′ at −20° C. and a higher E′ at 30° C. as compared to a rubber composition having an equivalent composition except for lacking any olefin copolymer viscosity modifier. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The rubber composition of claim 6, wherein at least (c) is met and the copolymer further comprises a nonconjugated diene. ### Claim 10 A tire tread rubber composition having improved snow traction and cornering, comprising: a. 100 parts of at least one rubber including a majority by weight of at least one of: natural rubber, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, or styrene-butadiene copolymer; b. at least one olefin copolymer viscosity modifier in an amount of 0.5 to 10 phr; c. at least one reinforcing filler in an amount of 5 to 200 phr including silica, optionally in combination with at least one carbon black; and d. a cure package, wherein the at least one olefin copolymer viscosity modifier has a Mn of 2,000 to 1,000,000 grams/mole. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The rubber composition of claim 10, wherein the at least one olefin copolymer viscosity modifier is present in an amount of 1 to 5 phr. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The rubber composition of claim 10, wherein the at least one olefin copolymer viscosity modifier comprises an ethylene-α-olefin copolymer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The rubber composition of claim 10, wherein the at least one olefin copolymer viscosity modifier has a Mn of 20,000 to 250,000 grams/mole. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The rubber composition of claim 10, wherein the at least one olefin copolymer viscosity modifier comprises ethylene-propylene copolymer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) A tire comprising the tire tread rubber composition of claim 10. ### Claim 16 A method for preparing a rubber composition, the method comprising combining (a) 100 parts of at least one rubber; (b) at least one olefin copolymer viscosity modifier in an amount of 0.5 to 10 phr; (c) at least one reinforcing filler in an amount of 5 to 200 phr; and (d) a cure package, wherein the at least one olefin copolymer viscosity modifier has a Mn of 2,000 to 1,000,000 grams/mole. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one olefin copolymer viscosity modifier is combined in a form that includes at least one oil. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the oil containing the viscosity modifier comprises 5-30% of the at least one olefin copolymer viscosity modifier. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the combining comprises at least one masterbatch mixing stage wherein (a), (b), and (c) are combined and a final mixing stage wherein (d) is added. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one olefin copolymer viscosity modifier comprises an ethylene-α-olefin copolymer.