Cured rubber network with covalent and hydrogen-bonded crosslinks
AssigneeBridgestone Corporation
InventorsErin SHEEPWASH, Walter A. SALAMANT, Paul N. HAMILTON
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for preparing a vulcanizate, the method comprising (i) combining an elastomeric polymer, silica, and a silica functionalizing agent, where the silica functionalizing agent includes a hydrolyzable group and a hydrogen-bonding group; (ii) mixing the elastomeric polymer, silica, and silica functionalizing agent to form a mixture; (iii) introducing a curative to the mixture to form a vulcanizable composition of matter; and (iv) subjecting the vulcanizable composition to curing conditions to form a vulcanizate.
Claims18
A method for preparing a vulcanizate, the method comprising:
- (i) combining an elastomeric polymer, silica, and a silica functionalizing agent, where the silica functionalizing agent includes a hydrolyzable group and a hydrogen-bonding group;
- (ii) mixing the elastomeric polymer, silica, and silica functionalizing agent to form a mixture;
- (iii) introducing a curative to the mixture to form a vulcanizable composition of matter;
- and
- (iv) subjecting the vulcanizable composition to curing conditions to form a vulcanizate.
An elastomeric vulcanizate comprising:
- a crosslinked elastomeric network and silica filler dispersed within the network, where the silica includes at least two silica particles bonded via a hydrogen-bonded bridging group.
A method of forming a modified silica filler for use in a rubber composition for preparing a tire component, the method comprising:
- combining silica and a silica functionalizing agent, where the silica functionalizing agent is defined by the formula
- where η is a hydrolyzable group, R1 is a bond or divalent organic group, and ω is a group that includes a hydrogen-bonding functionality.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.