# US 9,752,020 B2 · Rubber composition having good wet-traction properties and a low aromatic-oil content > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,752,020 B2 - Document ID: US9752020B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/646,981 - Filed: 2006-12-28 - Published: 2007-06-28 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2005-12-28 - Assignees: Bridgestone Corporation - Applicants: Xiaorong Wang; James E. Hall - Inventors: Xiaorong Wang; James E. Hall - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9752020B2 ## CPC - C08L 21/00: Compositions of unspecified rubbers - B60C 1/0016: {Compositions of the tread} - C08F 8/32: by reaction with amines - C08F 210/10: Isobutene - C08F 222/06: Maleic anhydride - C08F 255/10: on to butene polymers - C08L 51/06: grafted on to homopolymers or copolymers of aliphatic hydrocarbons containing only one carbon-to-carbon double bond - C08K 3/013: Fillers, pigments or reinforcing additives - C08K 5/0008: {Organic ingredients according to more than one of the "one dot" groups of C08K5/01 - C08K5/59} - C08K 5/01: Hydrocarbons {(C08K5/0091 takes precedence)} - C08L 23/22: Copolymers of isobutene; Butyl rubber; Homopolymers or copolymers of other iso-olefins - C08L 23/26: modified by chemical after-treatment (saponified copolymers C08L23/0861; unsaturated acid salts C08L23/0876) - C08L 2666/02: Organic macromolecular compounds, natural resins, waxes or and bituminous materials - C08L 2666/04: Macromolecular compounds according to groups C08L7/00 - C08L49/00, or C08L55/00 - C08L57/00; Derivatives thereof - C08L 2666/06: Homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated hydrocarbons; Derivatives thereof - 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 - C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS - 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 This invention relates to rubber compositions having a low aromatic-oil content, or no aromatic oils at all. The rubber composition contains a diene rubber, one or more fillers, and a low molecular weight, functionalized polymer than has the ability to interact with the fillers and act and as a replacement to the aromatic oil. The rubber compositions so produced may be used in tread rubbers and have exhibited good snow/wet traction properties and low rolling resistance. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tread rubber composition, comprising: a. 100 phr of a rubber polymer or copolymer; b. silica; c. 10 to 30 phr of a functionalized polyisobutylene having a molecular weight of about 1,000 to about 50,000; and d. 0 to 30 phr of an aromatic oil; wherein said functionalized polyisobutylene is a reaction product of an anhydride-functionalized polyisobutylene and an amine having the formula H2N—(CH2)x-A, wherein x is an integer ranging from 1 to 18 and A is an amino group; wherein the functionalized polyisobutylene contains functional groups at multiple points along the polymer backbone and is a liquid at 23° C. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tread rubber composition of claim 1, wherein the functional group A is a secondary amino group and x ranges from 1-6. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The tread rubber composition of claim 2, wherein the amine having the formula H2N—(CH2)x-A is 3-(dimethylamino)propylamine. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The tread rubber composition of claim 3, wherein the functionalized polymer has a molecular weight of about 1,000 to about 5,000. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The tread rubber composition of claim 1, wherein the rubber polymer or copolymer is a styrene-butadiene rubber. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The tread rubber composition of claim 5, wherein the functional group A is a secondary amino group and x ranges from 1-6. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The tread rubber composition of claim 6, wherein the amine having the formula H2N—(CH2)x-A is 3-(dimethylamino)propylamine. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The tread rubber composition of claim 7, wherein the functionalized polymer has a molecular weight of about 1,000 to about 5,000. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The tread rubber composition of claim 1, wherein the tread rubber composition further comprises no more than 15 phr of aromatic oil. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The tread rubber composition of claim 9, wherein the tread rubber composition comprises no aromatic oil. ### Claim 11 A method of producing a tire having improved wet-traction properties, comprising: a. preparing a tread rubber composition comprising mixing: i. 100 phr of a rubber polymer or copolymer; ii. silica; iii. 10 to 30 phr of a functionalized polyisobutylene having a molecular weight of about 1,000 to about 50,000; and iv. 0 to 30 phr of an aromatic oil; b. vulcanizing the tread rubber composition to produce a tire having improved wet-traction properties; wherein said functionalized polyisobutylene is a reaction product of an anhydride-functionalized polyisobutylene and an amine having the formula H2N—(CH2)x-A, wherein x is an integer ranging from 1 to 18 and A is an amino group; wherein the functionalized polyisobutylene contains functional groups at multiple points along the polymer backbone and is a liquid at 23° C. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the functional group A is a secondary amino group and x ranges from 1-6. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the amine having the formula H2N—(CH2)x-A is 3-(dimethylamino)propylamine. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the functionalized polymer has a molecular weight of about 1,000 to about 5,000. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The tread rubber composition of claim 11, wherein the rubber polymer or copolymer is a styrene-butadiene rubber. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the functional group A is a secondary amino group and x ranges from 1-6. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the amine having the formula H2N—(CH2)x-A is 3-(dimethylamino)propylamine. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the functionalized polymer has a molecular weight of about 1,000 to about 5,000. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the tread rubber composition further comprises no more than 15 phr of aromatic oil. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the tread rubber composition comprises no aromatic oil.