PNEUMATIC TYRE PROVIDED WITH A TREAD BASED ON A THERMOPLASTIC ELASTOMER
The present invention relates to a tyre provided with a tread, such that the tread comprises at least one thermoplastic elastomer, which is a block copolymer comprising at least one elastomer block and at least one thermoplastic block, and hollow microparticles.
1 - 26 . (canceled)
27 . A tyre comprising a tread, the tread including:
at least one thermoplastic elastomer,
wherein the at least one thermoplastic elastomer is a block copolymer that includes at least one elastomer block and at least one thermoplastic block, and
wherein a total content of the at least one thermoplastic elastomer is within a range of from 65 to 100 phr (parts by weight per hundred parts of elastomer), and
hollow microparticles.
28 . The tyre according to claim 27 , wherein a bursting pressure of the hollow microparticles is less than 800 bar.
29 . The tyre according to claim 27 , wherein a bursting pressure of the hollow microparticles is greater than 200 bar.
30 . The tyre according to claim 29 , wherein the bursting pressure of the hollow microparticles is greater than 300 bar.
31 . The tyre according to claim 28 , wherein the bursting pressure of the hollow microparticles is between 300 and 600 bar.
32 . The tyre according to claim 27 , wherein the hollow microparticles are any one or any mixture of: hollow glass microparticles, hollow ceramic microparticles, hollow metal microparticles, hollow silica microparticles, hollow alumina microparticles, and hollow zirconia microparticles.
33 . The tyre according to claim 32 , wherein the hollow microparticles are any one or any mixture of: hollow glass microparticles and hollow ceramic microparticles.
34 . The tyre according to claim 27 , wherein a content of the hollow microparticles in the tread is between 1% and 40% by volume.
35 . The tyre according to claim 34 , wherein the content of the hollow microparticles in the tread is between 5% and 35% by volume.
36 . The tyre according to claim 27 , wherein the hollow microparticles include hollow microspheres.
37 . The tyre according to claim 27 , wherein a number-average molecular weight of the at least one thermoplastic elastomer is between 30,000 and 500,000 g/mol.
38 . The tyre according to claim 27 , wherein the at least one elastomer block of the block copolymer is or are chosen from elastomers having a glass transition temperature of less than 25° C.
39 . The tyre according to claim 27 , wherein the at least one elastomer block of the block copolymer is or are selected from a group consisting of: ethylene elastomers, diene elastomers, and mixtures thereof.
40 . The tyre according to claim 27 , wherein the at least one elastomer block of the block copolymer is or are chosen from ethylene elastomers.
41 . The tyre according to claim 27 , wherein the at least one elastomer block of the block copolymer is or are chosen from diene elastomers.
42 . The tyre according to claim 41 , wherein the at least one elastomer block of the block copolymer is or are chosen from diene elastomers resulting from isoprene, or butadiene, or a mixture of isoprene and butadiene.
43 . The tyre according to claim 27 ,
wherein the at least one thermoplastic block of the block copolymer is or are chosen from polymers having a glass transition temperature of greater than 80° C., and
wherein, if the at least one thermoplastic block is a semicrystalline thermoplastic block, the semicrystalline thermoplastic block has a melting point of greater than 80° C.
44 . The tyre according to claim 27 , wherein the at least one thermoplastic block of the block copolymer is or are selected from a group consisting of: polyolefins, polyurethanes, polyamides, polyesters, polyacetals, polyethers, polyphenylene sulphides, polyfluorinated compounds, polystyrenes, polycarbonates, polysulphones, polymethyl methacrylate, polyetherimide, thermoplastic copolymers, and mixtures thereof.
45 . The tyre according to claim 27 , wherein the at least one thermoplastic block of the block copolymer is or are chosen from polystyrenes.
46 . The tyre according to claim 27 , wherein the at least one thermoplastic elastomer is or are selected from a group consisting of: styrene/butadiene (SB) thermoplastic elastomers, styrene/isoprene (SI) thermoplastic elastomers, styrene/butadiene/isoprene (SBI) thermoplastic elastomers, styrene/butadiene/styrene (SBS) thermoplastic elastomers, styrene/isoprene/styrene (SIS) thermoplastic elastomers, and styrene/butadiene/isoprene/styrene (SBIS) thermoplastic elastomers, and mixtures thereof.
47 . The tyre according to claim 27 , wherein the tread includes no elastomer other than the at least one thermoplastic elastomer.
48 . The tyre according to claim 27 , wherein the tread includes at least one non-thermoplastic elastomer at a total content of at most 35 phr.
49 . The tyre according to claim 27 , wherein the tread includes at least one plasticizing agent.
50 . The tyre according to claim 49 , wherein the at least one plasticizing agent includes one or both of: a plasticizing resin and a plasticizing oil.
51 . The tyre according to claim 50 , wherein the plasticizing oil is a paraffinic oil.
52 . The tyre according to claim 27 , further comprising:
a crown;
two sidewalls;
two beads;
a carcass reinforcement anchored to the two beads; and
a crown reinforcement.