Pristine nano graphene-modified tires

1. A tire comprising a rubber composite, comprising at least one rubber or elastomer matrix with a first thermal conductivity and an effective amount of pristine nano graphene platelets dispersed in said matrix to make said rubber matrix composite thermally conducting, having a thermal conductivity greater than said first thermal conductivity of the matrix.

2. The tire of claim 1 , wherein the pristine graphene platelets comprise single-layer graphene.

3. The tire of claim 1 , wherein the nano graphene platelets have an average thickness less than 10 nm or a specific surface area greater than 90 m 2 /g.

4. The tire of claim 1 , wherein the nano graphene platelets have an average thickness less than 1 nm or a specific surface area greater than 900 m 2 /g.

5. The tire of claim 1 , wherein the nano graphene platelets are produced by direct ultrasonication.

6. The tire of claim 1 , wherein the pristine graphene platelets have a thermal conductivity greater than 1,000 W/m-k.

7. The tire of claim 1 , wherein the pristine graphene platelets have a thermal conductivity greater than 3,000 W/m-k.

8. The tire of claim 1 , wherein the rubber composite has a thermal conductivity greater than 1 W/m-k.

9. The tire of claim 1 , wherein the rubber composite has a thermal conductivity greater than 10 W/m-k.

10. The tire of claim 1 , wherein the rubber composite has a thermal conductivity greater than 100 W/m-k.

11. The tire of claim 1 , wherein the rubber or elastomer is selected from the group consisting of poly[4,4′-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate)-alt-1,4-butanediol/poly(butylene adipate)], poly[4,4′-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate)-alt-1,4-butanediol/poly(butylene adipate)], poly[4,4′-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate)-alt-1,4-butanediol/di(propylene glycol)/polycaprolactone], poly[4,4′-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate)-alt-1,4-butanediol/polytetrahydrofuran], amine terminated polybutadienes, carboxyl terminated polybutadienes, polybutadiene, dicarboxy terminated butyl rubber, styrene/butadiene copolymers, polyisoprene, poly(styrene-co-butadiene), polydimethylsiloxane, natural latex rubber, and combinations thereof.

12. The tire of claim 1 , wherein the effective amount of pristine nano graphene platelets is between 0.01 and 30 weight percent based on the total weight of the rubber composite.

13. The tire of claim 1 , wherein the effective amount of pristine nano graphene platelets is between 0.1 and 5 weight percent based on the total weight of the rubber composite.

14. The tire of claim 1 , wherein the pristine nano graphite platelets have a length-to-thickness aspect ratio of between 1000 and 10,000.