The effect of functionalization in elastomers: Construction of networks

Abstract

With greater consideration of environmental protection and resource conservation, the manufacture of high-performance tires with high modulus and low energy loss has become a pursuit of scientists in the elastomer industry. The manufacturing strategy is primarily based on improvement of reinforced filler dispersion in the elastomer matrix or enhancement of the interfacial interaction with elastomer chains, which is arguable for improvement of elastomer performance via the functionalization method. To profoundly re-recognize the effect mechanism of functional groups on the performance of elastomers, three styrene-isoprene-butadiene solution rubbers reinforced with carbon black (CB/SIBR, CB/α-SIBR, and CB/α,ω-SIBR) with different functional sites and amounts were prepared using 1,1-bis(4-dimethylaminophenyl)-ethylene (DPE(NMe2)2) as the functional group in this work. The results showed that after introducing the DPE(NMe2)2 unit, the dispersion improvement of CB was nondistinctive. The improvement in the modulus and reduction of energy loss are primarily attributed to the construction of a strong network of the CB filler with neighbouring functional groups in the elastomer chains and passivation of the free terminals of the elastomer chain. Based on these results, this process might offer new scientific understanding of the mechanism of high modulus and low energy loss in a functional elastomer compound and a strategy for manufacture of a high-performance tire.