Loading patent…
AssigneeCR Minerals Company, LLC
InventorsCarl McAfee, Jeffrey Alexander Whidden, Michael Lee Dulisse
Estimating the term…
The present invention provides materials and methods to enhance dispersion of carbon black within polymer systems, improving both static physical properties and dynamic physical properties of polymers (such as natural or synthetic rubber) containing carbon black. Some variations provide a composition containing a polymer, carbon black, and a performance-enhancing additive comprising amorphous silica, wherein the performance-enhancing additive causes a property improvement associated with or imparted by the carbon black. The performance-enhancing additive scrubs or exfoliates the carbon black in situ, to improve tensile strength, modulus, tear, elongation, dispersion, flow properties, viscosity, hardness, specific gravity, rebound, torque, and/or load of the polymer composite.
A composition containing a polymer, carbon black, and a performance-enhancing additive comprising amorphous silica, wherein said amorphous silica is about 50 wt % to about 99 wt % of said performance-enhancing additive, and wherein said amorphous silica is present in said composition at a concentration from about 0.1 wt % to about 10 wt %, wherein said performance-enhancing additive causes a property improvement associated with or imparted by said carbon black, compared to an otherwise-identical composition that does not contain said performance-enhancing additive, and wherein said property is selected from static physical properties, dynamic physical properties, dispersion, and combinations thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.