Rubber composition comprising phyllosilicate minerals, silanes, and quaternary ammonium salts

A rubber composition comprising a substantially uniform dispersion in natural or synthetic rubber of:

• A.
• 1. particulate Agent G at a level of from about 5 to about 200 phr,
• 2. Agent H at a level of from about 0.005 to about 15 phr, and
• 3. Agent I at a level of from about 0.005 to about 15 phr;
• or
• B.
• 1. a particulate adduct of Agents G and H having a median particle size in the range of from about 0.01 to about 20 microns and present at a level such that the portion thereof contributed from Agent G is at a level of from about 5 to about 200 phr and the portion thereof contributed from Agent H is at a level of from about 0.005 to about 15 phr, and
• 2. Agent I at a level of from about 0.005 to about 15 phr;
• or
• C.
• 1. a particulate adduct of Agents G and I having a median particle size in the range of from about 0.01 to about 20 microns and present at a level such that the portion thereof contributed from Agent G is at a level of from about 5 to about 200 phr and the portion thereof contributed from Agent I is at a level of from about 0.005 to about 15 phr, and
• 2. Agent H at a level of from about 0.005 to about 15 phr;
• or
• D. a particulate adduct of Agents G, H, and I having a median particle size in the range of from about 0.01 to about 20 microns and present at a level such that the portion thereof contributed from Agent G is at a level of from about 5 to about 200 phr, the portion thereof contributed from Agent H is at a level of from about 0.005 to about 15 phr and the portion thereof contributed from Agent I is at a level of from about 0.005 to about 15 phr;
• or
• E.
• 1. a particulate adduct of Agents G and H having a median particle size in the range of from about 0.01 to about 20 microns and present at a level such that the portion thereof contributed from Agent G is at a level of from about 2.5 to about 100 phr and the portion thereof contributed from Agent H is at a level of from about 0.005 to about 15 phr, and
• 2. a particulate adduct of Agents G and I having a median particle size in the range of from about 0.01 to about 20 microns and present at a level such that the portion thereof contributed from Agent G is at a level of from about 2.5 to about 100 phr and the portion thereof contributed from Agent I is at a level of from about 0.005 to about 15 phr;
• or
• F. B, C, D or E above wherein the particulate adduct in B, C or D or at least one of the particulate adducts in E is also an adduct with the rubber;
• wherein Agent G comprises phyllosilicate mineral particles having a median particle size in the range of from about 0.01 to about 20 microns;
• wherein Agent H comprises an organosilane of formula I or II ##STR5## wherein X is a group which is, or which upon hydrolysis forms a group which is, capable of reacting with a reactive site on the phyllosilicate mineral particles so as to form a bond between the organosilane of formula I or II and the phyllosilicate mineral particles,
• wherein Y is an alkyl, aryl or alkyl-substituted aryl group containing from 1 to 40 carbon atoms and bears a functional group capable of reacting with a reactive site on the rubber so as to form a bond between the organosilane of formula I or II and the rubber,
• wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are the same or different and are each selected from the group consisting of the groups described by X and Y, an alkyl group containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group, and an alkyl-substituted aryl group wherein the alkyl substituents contain a total of from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, and
• wherein K is an alkylenyl group containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms or an alkyl sulfide or polysulfide group containing from 1 to 6 sulfur atoms and from 2 to 20 carbon atoms;
• and
• wherein Agent I comprises a quaternary ammonium salt.

A particulate adduct of Agents G, H, and I having a median particle size in the range of from about 0.01 to about 20 microns, wherein the concentration levels of Agents H and I are each in the range of from about 0.1 to about 7.5 weight percent, based on the weight of Agent G;

• wherein Agent G comprises phyllosilicate mineral particles having a median particle size in the range of from about 0.01 to about 20 microns;
• wherein Agent H comprises an organosilane of formula I or II ##STR7## wherein X is a group which is, or which upon hydrolysis forms a group which is, capable of reacting with a reactive site on the phyllosilicate mineral particles so as to form a bond between the organosilane of formula I or II and the phyllosilicate mineral particles,
• wherein Y is an alkyl, aryl or alkyl-substituted aryl group containing from 1 to 40 carbon atoms and bears a functional group capable of reacting with a reactive site on the rubber so as to form a bond between the organosilane of formula I or II and the rubber,
• wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are the same or different and are each selected from the group consisting of the groups described by X and Y, an alkyl group containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group, and an alkyl-substituted aryl group wherein the alkyl substituents contain a total of from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, and
• wherein K is an alkylenyl group containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms or an alkyl sulfide or polysulfide group containing from 1 to 6 sulfur atoms and from 2 to 20 carbon atoms;
• and
• wherein Agent I comprises a quaternary ammonium salt.