# US 5,708,053 A · Silica-filled rubber compositions and the processing thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,708,053 A - Document ID: US5708053A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/698,532 - Filed: 1996-08-15 - Granted: 1998-01-13 - Earliest claimed: 1996-08-15 - Assignees: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company - Inventors: George Jalics; Adel Farhan Halasa; David John Zanzig - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5708053A ## CPC - C08C 19/44: of polymers containing metal atoms exclusively at one or both ends of the skeleton - C08K 9/08: Ingredients agglomerated by treatment with a binding agent - Y10S 152/905: Tread composition - 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) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract The present invention relates to silica-filled rubber compositions and their method of processing. The rubber compositions contain a mixture of 10 to 150 phr of a particulate precipitated silica having dispersed thereon, from 1 to 20 percent by weight based upon the weight of the silica, of a silane-modified elastomer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of processing a silica-filled rubber composition which comprises mixing (i) 100 parts by weight of at least one sulfur-vulcanizable elastomer selected from conjugated diene homopolymers and copolymers and from copolymers of at least one conjugated diene and aromatic vinyl compound; and (ii) 10 to 150 phr of a particulate precipitated silica having dispersed thereon from 1 to 20 percent by weight, based upon the weight of the silica, of a silane-modified elastomer, wherein said silane-modified elastomer is obtained by reacting an active terminal of a resulting living polymer through polymerization of 1,3-butadiene or copolymerization of 1,3-butadiene and styrene in an inert organic solvent in the presence of an organic alkali initiator with a silane compound of the formula XyWySi(OR.sup.1).sub.z I wherein X is a halogen selected from the group consisting of chlorine, bromine and iodine; W is an alkylene radical having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms; y is 0 or 1; R.sup.1 is independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms and aryl radicals having from 6 to 24 carbon atoms; and z is 4 when y is 0 and z is 3 when y is 1. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said precipitated silica prior to having the silane-modified elastomer dispersed thereon has a BET surface area in the range of from 40 to 600 square meters per gram. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said precipitated silica prior to having the silane-modified elastomer dispersed thereon has a dibutylphthalate (DBP) absorption value in a range of from 100 to about 400. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said precipitated silica prior to having the silane-modified elastomer dispersed thereon has an average ultimate particle size in the range of from 0.01 to 0.05 micron. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said particulate precipitated silica having said silane-modified elastomer dispersed thereon is obtained by reacting said silica in an inert organic solvent in the presence of said silane-modified elastomer. ### Claim 6 A silica-filled rubber composition which is prepared by a process comprising mixing (i) 100 parts by weight of at least one sulfur-vulcanizable elastomer selected from conjugated diene homopolymers and copolymers and from copolymers of at least one conjugated diene and aromatic vinyl compound; and (ii) 10 to 150 phr of a particulate-precipitated silica having dispersed thereon from 1 to 20 percent by weight, based upon the weight of the silica, of a silane-modified elastomer, wherein said silane-modified elastomer is obtained by reacting an active terminal of a resulting living polymer through polymerization of 1,3-butadiene or copolymerization of 1,3-butadiene and styrene in an inert organic solvent in the presence of an organic alkali initiator with a silane compound of the formula XyWySi(OR.sup.1).sub.z wherein X is a halogen selected from the group consisting of chlorine, bromine and iodine; W is an alkylene radical having from I to 8 carbon atoms; y is 0 or 1; R.sup.1 is independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms and aryl radicals having from 6 to 24 carbon atoms; and z is 4 when y is 0 and z is 3 when y is 1. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The composition of claim 6 wherein said precipitated silica prior to having the silane-modified elastomer dispersed thereon has a BET surface area in the range of from 40 to 600 square meters per gram. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The composition of claim 7 wherein said precipitated silica prior to having the silane-modified elastomer dispersed thereon has a dibutylphthalate (DBP) absorption value in a range of from 100 to about 400. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The composition of claim 7 wherein said precipitated silica prior to having the silane-modified elastomer dispersed thereon has an average ultimate particle size in the range of from 0.01 to 0.05 micron. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The composition of claim 7 wherein R.sup.1 is an alkyl radical having four carbon atoms, R.sup.2 is hydrogen, R.sup.3 is an alkyl radical having one carbon atoms and n is 3. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The composition of claim 6 wherein said particulate precipitated silica having said silane-modified elastomer dispersed thereon is obtained by reacting said silica in an inert organic solvent in the presence of said silane-modified elastomer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The composition of claim 6 which is vulcanized. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The composition of claim 12 which is in the form of a pneumatic tire, belt or hose. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The composition of claim 13 which is in the form of a pneumatic tire. ### Claim 15 A method of reducing the energy required in mixing a silica-filled rubber composition which comprises mixing (i) 100 parts by weight of at least one sulfur-vulcanizable elastomer selected from conjugated diene homopolymers and copolymers and from copolymers of at least one conjugated diene and aromatic vinyl compound; and (ii) 10 to 150 phr of a particulate precipitated silica having dispersed thereon from 1 to 20 percent by weight, based upon the weight of the silica of a silane-modified elastomer, wherein said silane-modified elastomer is obtained by reacting an active terminal of a resulting living polymer through polymerization of 1,3-butadiene or copolymerization of 1,3-butadiene and styrene in an inert organic solvent in the presence of an organic alkali initiator with a silane compound of the formula XyWySi(OR.sup.1).sub.z wherein X is a halogen selected from the group consisting of chlorine, bromine and iodine; W is an alkylene radical having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms; y is 0 or 1; R.sup.1 is independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms and aryl radicals having from 6 to 24 carbon atoms; and z is 4 when y is 0 and z is 3 when y is 1.