Abstract
When designing rubber compounds for high-performance tires, increasing the silica content can improve the wet traction performance but decreases the fuel efficiency. This trade-off relation makes it difficult to improve the two factors simultaneously. One approach is the development of silica wet masterbatch (WMB) technology for producing compounds containing a high silica content with good dispersion. The technology involves a step to mix surface-modified silica and rubber latex. The technique requires a coagulant to break up the micelles of the rubber latex and cause the surface-modified silica and the rubber molecules to co-coagulate due to van der Waals forces. In this study, the effect of coagulant type on the characteristics of silica surface, and the mechanical properties of the emulsion styrene-butadiene rubber (ESBR)/silica WMB compounds was investigated, as well as the abrasion properties and the viscoelastic properties of the vulcanizates.
Highlights
Rolling resistance and wet traction are the important factors in tire performances related to fuel consumption and safety during the driving of the vehicle
The results of the analysis of silica content in emulsion styrene-butadiene rubber (ESBR)/silica wet masterbatch (WMB) using TGA confirmed that the silica content was 4% increased than other coagulants when alkali metal ions were present in the coagulant, leading to increased 10.1% hydrophobation of the silica by the alkali-silica reaction
From the results of the Payne effect measurements, it was confirmed that the ESBR/silica WMB
Summary
Rolling resistance and wet traction are the important factors in tire performances related to fuel consumption and safety during the driving of the vehicle. These factors must be considered in the design of rubber compounds used for tire tread [1,2,3,4]. In other words, improving both the fuel efficiency and wet traction performance of the tire requires the use of functionalized polymers and high content as well as best dispersion of reinforcing agent in the tread rubber compound [6,8]. When functionalized polymer is used, the raw material cost is higher than that of non-functionalized polymer [9], so increasing the content and improving filler dispersion are the priority
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