Methods and additives to improve performance of carbon particles in elastomer composites
AssigneeMonolith Materials, Inc.
InventorsMason McCormick, Joshua Abell, Lucas Wilke, Connor Adams, Ned Hardman
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Abstract
Water soluble sulfur active molecules of the present disclosure distributed on the surface of carbon particles and/or pellets (including but not limited to plasma pyrolysis carbon black) increase performance of the carbon particles and/or pellets in rubber compounds and vulcanizates, for example by increasing the modulus at 300% elongation (M300) over conventional carbon black without largely detrimental effects on scorch.
Claims20
A carbon black pellet comprising carbon particles decorated with one or more water soluble sulfur active species after the carbon particles are degassed.
Treated carbon particles having on their surface a water soluble sulfur active species such that, when the treated carbon particles are compounded with an elastomer into an elastomer compound, the elastomer compound has a modulus at 300% elongation (M300) that is higher than a reference M300 of a reference elastomer compound, by a value greater than ten (10) times a percentage loading of the water soluble sulfur active species on the treated carbon particles, wherein the reference elastomer compound comprises reference carbon particles that are of a same preparation as the treated carbon particles except the reference carbon particles have no water soluble sulfur active species on a surface thereof.
A method for improving a carbon particle for use in an elastomer compound, the method comprising:
- (a) reacting a liquid hydrocarbon mixture with carbon disulfide (CS2), wherein the liquid hydrocarbon mixture (i) has an average molecular weight of at least 150 g/mol and (ii) comprises one or more polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) functionalized with oxygen, nitrogen, or both in an individual or combined concentration of at least 0.5% by weight;
- (b) thereby generating a dithiocarbamate or a xanthate;
- and
- (c) decorating a surface of the carbon particle with one or more of the dithiocarbamate or the xanthate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.