Effects of Carbon Black Structure on Tire Tread Wear

Abstract

Abstract Oil furnace process carbon blacks have been produced which differ widely in the extent of their primary chainlike aggregation. The effect of the carbon black structure on rubber properties and road wear was evaluated in oil-extended SBR passenger tire tread compounds. The decrease in primary particle aggregation increases the tendency to form strong, dense, secondary agglomerates which require mixing techniques designed to insure that they are well dispersed. The behavior in rubber of a series of oil furnace blacks differing primarily in their structure is most apparent in processing, shrinkage, modulus and hardness. There are small effects on rebound and flex cracking resistance but no significant effects on tensile strength and heat buildup. Carbon black structure can be reduced to some extent without encountering significant loss in road wear resistance under normal wearing conditions. Some decrease in road wear performance occurred under very severe road test conditions. The use of higher black loadings of the normal structure blacks gave good wear resistance under both normal and severe service conditions.