Solution styrene butadiene rubber for improved tire performance

摘要

In the Tire Technology International Annual Review of 2008, Steinhauser and Gross described how Lanxess had developed a new class of high-performance SSBRs, based on the technology of along-the-chain functionalized SSBR, to improve tire tread properties by enhancing the contact between the polymer and the filler. The functionalization is through carboxylic groups and is shown in Figure 1. Figure 2 is taken from the 2008 article and describes how the temperature dependence of tangent delta changes with increasing degrees of functionalization. This results in increased tangent delta at 0°C and can be used both as an indicator of improved wet traction and a decreased tangent delta at 60°C, and as an indicator of reduced rolling resistance. Table 1 is a summary of the original table shown in the 2008 article. It shows that a medium level of functionalization produced a nine-point increase in rebound at 60°C, indicating that a reduced rolling resistance would be expected.