# US 2013/0158185 A1 · Low rolling resistance tread for cars and light trucks

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- Number: US 2013/0158185 A1
- Document ID: US20130158185A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/702,021
- Filed: 2010-06-25
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2010-06-25
- Inventors: William Marshall Thompson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130158185A1

## CPC

- C08L 7/00: Compositions of natural rubber
- B60C 1/0016: {Compositions of the tread}
- C08L 9/06: Copolymers with styrene
- C08L 19/006: {Rubber characterised by functional groups, e.g. telechelic diene polymers}
- C08C 19/44: of polymers containing metal atoms exclusively at one or both ends of the skeleton
- C08K 3/36: Silica
- C08K 5/01: Hydrocarbons {(C08K5/0091 takes precedence)}
- C08K 5/548: containing sulfur {(C08K5/5477 takes precedence)}
- C08L 57/02: Copolymers of mineral oil hydrocarbons
- Y02T 10/86: Optimisation of rolling resistance, e.g. weight reduction
- 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
- C08C: TREATMENT OR CHEMICAL MODIFICATION OF RUBBERS
- C08K: Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients (paints, inks, varnishes, dyes, polishes, adhesives C09)
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

Tires, especially tires for passenger and light track vehicles, that have treads constructed of a silica reinforced material that is based upon a cross-linkable rubber composition that includes, per hundred parts by weight of rubber (phr), between 50 phr and 90 phr of natural rubber and between 10 phr and 50 phr of a silanol end-functionalized styrene-butadiene rubber and may include between 5 phr and 40 phr of a plasticizing resin. The plasticizing resin may be characterized as having a glass transition temperature Tg of between 30° C. and 120° C. or alternatively, between 45° C. and 85° C. The plasticizing resin may be a polylimonene resin. Tires manufactured with such treads may be characterized as having improved rolling resistance with no loss in wet or dry grip properties.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A tire, the tire comprising a tread constructed of a material that is based upon a cross-linkable rubber composition, the cross-linkable rubber composition comprising, per 100 parts by weight of rubber (phr);
between 50 phr and 90 phr; of natural rubber;
between 10 phr and 50 phr; of a silanol end-functionalized styrene-butadiene rubber;
between 5 phr and 40 phr; of a plasticizing resin having a glass transition temperature Tg of between 30° C. and 120° C.; and
between 40 phr and 75 phr of a silica filler.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The tire of claim 1, wherein the rubber composition comprises between 65 phr and 85 phr of the natural rubber and between 15 phr and 35 phr of the silanol end-functionalized styrene butadiene rubber.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The tire of claim 1, wherein the styrene-butadiene rubber has a glass transition temperature of between −50° C. and −10° C.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The tire of claim 1, wherein the styrene-butadiene rubber has a glass transition temperature of between −30° C. and −20° C.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The tire of claim 1, wherein the styrene-butadiene rubber has a vinyl content of the butadiene part of between 25% and 70%.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The tire of claim 1, wherein the resin has a number average molecular weight of between 400 and 2000 g/mol and a polydispersity index of less than 3.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The tire of claim 1, wherein the resin has a Tg of between 40° C. and 100° C.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The tire of claim 1, wherein the resin has a Tg of between 45° C. and 85° C.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The tire of claim 1, wherein the resin is a polylimonene.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The time of claim 1, wherein the resin is a hydrocarbon resin.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The tire of claim 1, wherein the rubber composition comprises between 45 phr and 65 phr of a highly dispersible precipitated silica.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The tire of claim 1, wherein the rubber composition comprises between 10 phr and 30 phr of the plasticizing resin.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The tire of claim 1, wherein the rubber composition comprises between 10 phr and 25 phr of the plasticizing resin.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The tire of claim 1, wherein the tire is an automobile/light truck tire.