# US 12,180,349 B2 · Method for graphene incorporation into a rubber compounding by using liquid plasticizer route—LPR method

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- Number: US 12,180,349 B2
- Document ID: US12180349B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/463,478
- Filed: 2021-08-31
- Published: 2023-03-02
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2021-08-31
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Rodrigo Denizarte de Oliveira Polkowski; Cristiano Grings Herbert; Alper Kiziltas; Deborah Frances Mielewski; Cristiane Carla Gonçalves; Cindy Sofia Barrera-Martinez
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12180349B2

## CPC

- C08K 3/042: {Graphene or derivatives, e.g. graphene oxides}
- B29C 35/02: Heating or curing, e.g. crosslinking or vulcanizing {during moulding, e.g. in a mould}(cold vulcanisation B29C35/18 {; vulcanising tyres, presses therefor B29D30/0601})
- B29C 43/003: {characterised by the choice of material}
- C08K 5/0016: {Plasticisers}
- C08L 9/06: Copolymers with styrene
- C08L 23/16: Ethylene-propylene or ethylene-propylene-diene copolymers
- C08K: Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients (paints, inks, varnishes, dyes, polishes, adhesives C09)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06)

## Abstract

A method for producing a rubber composite includes mixing graphene with a liquid plasticizer to create a graphene/plasticizer solution, mixing the graphene/plasticizer solution with solid rubber and curing to form a preform, and shaping and vulcanizing the preform. The graphene/plasticizer solution may be a nonaqueous solution. The present disclosure also relates to a rubber composite part produced by the above-referenced method.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for producing a rubber composite, the method comprising:
creating a graphene/plasticizer solution consisting of graphene mixed with a liquid plasticizer;
mixing the graphene/plasticizer solution with solid rubber and curing to form a preform; and
shaping and vulcanizing the preform.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the graphene comprises at least one of graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, nanoplatelets, nanosheets, functionalized graphene, and graphene derivatives.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid plasticizer comprises at least one of oils, mineral oils, waxes, fatty acids, salts of fatty acids, aromatic plasticizers, naphthenic plasticizers, paraffinic plasticizers, derivatives of phthalic, adipic, and sebacic acid esters, trichresil phosphates, and diphenylcresyl phosphates.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the rubber composite comprises 1-50 parts per hundred rubber (PHR) of the graphene/plasticizer solution.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the graphene/plasticizer solution is a nonaqueous solution.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising adding auxiliary materials during the mixing of the graphene/plasticizer solution with solid rubber and curing to form the preform.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the auxiliary materials comprise at least one of antioxidants, antiozonants, curing agents, vulcanization agents, and activators.

### Claim 8

A method for producing a rubber composite, the method comprising:
creating a nonaqueous graphene/plasticizer solution consisting of graphene mixed with a liquid plasticizer; and
mixing the nonaqueous graphene/plasticizer solution with solid rubber and curing.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the graphene comprises at least one of graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, nanoplatelets, nanosheets, functionalized graphene, and graphene derivatives.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the liquid plasticizer comprises at least one of oils, mineral oils, waxes, fatty acids, salts of fatty acids, aromatic plasticizers, naphthenic plasticizers, paraffinic plasticizers, derivatives of phthalic, adipic, and sebacic acid esters, trichresil phosphates, and diphenylcresyl phosphates.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the rubber composite comprises 1-50 parts per hundred rubber (PHR) of the nonaqueous graphene/plasticizer solution.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 further comprising adding auxiliary materials during the mixing of the nonaqueous graphene/plasticizer solution with solid rubber and curing.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the auxiliary materials comprise at least one of antioxidants, antiozonants, curing agents, vulcanization agents, and activators.