# US 10,501,584 B2 · Terminal-functionalized polymer 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 10,501,584 B2 - Document ID: US10501584B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/540,833 - Filed: 2015-12-22 - Published: 2018-01-04 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-30 - Assignees: Bridgestone Corporation - Applicants: Bridgestone Corporation - Inventors: Yuan-Yong Yan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10501584B2 ## CPC - C08G 77/442: containing vinyl polymer sequences - C08L 83/10: Block- or graft-copolymers containing polysiloxane sequences (obtained by polymerising a compound having a carbon-to-carbon double bond on to a polysiloxane C08L51/08, C08L53/00) - C08F 230/085: {the monomer being a polymerisable silane, e.g. (meth)acryloyloxy trialkoxy silanes or vinyl trialkoxysilanes} - Y02T 10/86: Optimisation of rolling resistance, e.g. weight reduction - C08G: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED OTHERWISE THAN BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING UNSATURATED CARBON-TO-CARBON BONDS - C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06) - C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract Disclosed herein are terminal-functionalized polymers functionalized with silicon-containing functionalizing agents, rubber compositions including the polymers, methods for improving the cold flow resistance of a polymer, methods for improving the filler dispersion of a silica-filled rubber composition, and processes for preparing the terminal-functionalized polymer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rubber composition comprising (a) 10-100 phr of a terminal-functionalized polymer having a vinyl bond content of at least about 20% and the following structure wherein P is a polymer chain comprising a randomized configuration of at least one type of conjugated-diene monomer and at least one type of vinyl aromatic monomer; Ra, Rb, Rc and Rd are the same or different and each is independently selected from H, alkyl groups having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl groups having 3 to 20 carbon atoms, alkylaryl groups having 7 to 20 carbon atoms, Re is independently selected from: (i) H, an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, and an alkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, (ii) cycloalkyl group or cycloalkoxy groups having 3 to 20 carbon atoms, and (iii) alkylaryl or alkaryloxy groups having 7 to 20 carbon atoms; and m is 1 to 20; (b) 0-90 phr of at least one rubber; and (c) about 10 to about 150 phr of silica filler. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The rubber composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one conjugated-diene monomer is 1,3-butadiene and the at least one vinyl aromatic monomer is styrene. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The rubber composition of claim 2, wherein the silica filler is present in an amount of 35 to 150 phr. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The rubber composition of claim 2, wherein the total amount of reinforcing filler is about 10 to about 200 phr. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The rubber composition of claim 2, further comprising carbon black filler. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The rubber composition of claim 5, wherein the reinforcing filler includes carbon black in an amount of no more than 30% by weight based upon the total weight of the reinforcing filler. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The rubber composition of claim 1, wherein the silica filler is present in an amount of 35 to 150 phr. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The rubber composition of claim 1, wherein the total amount of reinforcing filler is about 10 to about 200 phr. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The rubber composition of claim 1, further comprising carbon black filler. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The rubber composition of claim 9, wherein the reinforcing filler includes carbon black in an amount of no more than 30% by weight based upon the total weight of the reinforcing filler. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The process of claim 10, wherein the at least one conjugated-diene monomer is 1,3-butadiene and the at least one vinyl aromatic monomer is styrene. ### Claim 12 A method for improving the filler dispersion in a silica-filled rubber composition, the method comprising utilizing 10-100 phr of a terminal-functionalized polymer having a vinyl bond content of at least about 20% and the following structure wherein, P is a polymer chain comprising a randomized configuration of at least one type of conjugated-diene monomer and at least one type of vinyl aromatic monomer, Ra, Rb, Rc and Rd are the same or different and each is independently selected from H, alkyl groups having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl groups having 3 to 20 carbon atoms, alkylaryl groups having 7 to 20 carbon atoms, Re is independently selected from: (i) H, an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, and an alkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, (ii) cycloalkyl group or cycloalkoxy groups having 3 to 20 carbon atoms, and (iii) alkylaryl or alkaryloxy groups having 7 to 20 carbon atoms; and m is 1 to 20; 0-90 phr of at least one rubber, 10-200 phr of silica filler, and a cure package to produce a silica-filled rubber composition. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The process of claim 12, wherein the conjugated diene monomer is 1,3-butadiene and the vinyl aromatic monomer is styrene. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the terminal-functionalized polymer is styrene-butadiene and is present in an amount of 20 to 90 phr. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the silica filler is present in an amount of 35 to 150 phr. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The process of claim 12, wherein the silica-filled rubber composition has a total amount of reinforcing filler of about 10 to about 200 phr. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The process of claim 16, wherein the reinforcing filler includes carbon black in an amount of no more than 30% by weight based upon the total weight of the reinforcing filler. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The process of claim 12, further comprising utilizing carbon black filler in the silica-filled rubber composition.