FUNCTIONALIZED RUBBER COMPOSITION WITH SBR/BR RUBBER
Rubber compositions, rubber articles and methods for making such rubber articles that include a rubber composition having, per 100 parts by weight of rubber (phr), a modified rubber component such as an epoxidized rubber component selected from an epoxidized polybutadiene rubber (eBR), an epoxidized styrene-butadiene rubber (eSBR), or combinations thereof having a Tg of between −80° C. and −110° C. as well as a second rubber component selected from the group consisting of a polybutadiene rubber (BR), a styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) and combinations thereof. Also between 30 phr and 130 phr of an efficient plasticizing resin may be included. An efficient plasticizing resin is one that when included in a mixture of the modified rubber component and 67 phr of the efficient plasticizing resin, causes a Tg of the mixture to be at least 14° C. higher than the Tg of the modified rubber component itself.
1 - 22 . (canceled)
23 . A rubber composition that is based upon a cross-linkable elastomer composition, the cross-linkable elastomer composition comprising, per 100 parts by weight of rubber (phr):
a modified rubber component selected from a modified polybutadiene rubber, a modified styrene-butadiene rubber or combinations thereof, wherein the modified rubber component has been modified with a functional group having a heteroatom selected from oxygen, nitrogen, silicon or combinations thereof and wherein the modified rubber component has a Tg of between −80° C. and −110° C.;
a second rubber component selected from the group consisting of a polybutadiene rubber (BR), a styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) and combinations thereof;
between 30 phr and 130 phr of an efficient plasticizing resin, wherein the efficient plasticizing resin is, when included in a mixture consisting of the modified rubber component and 67 phr of the efficient plasticizing resin, causes a Tg of the mixture to be at least 14° C. higher than the Tg of the modified rubber component;
a reinforcement filler; and
a curing system.
24 . The rubber composition of claim 23 , wherein the functional group and the efficient plasticizing resin have a hydrogen bonding interaction and wherein a hydrogen bond acceptor atom is included in the functional group.
25 . The rubber composition of claim 23 , wherein the modified rubber component is epoxidized with the functional group being an epoxide and wherein the epoxidized rubber component is selected from epoxidized polybutadiene rubber (eBR), epoxidized styrene-butadiene rubber (eSBR) or combinations thereof.
26 . The rubber composition of claim 25 , wherein the epoxide content of the epoxidized rubber component is between 3 mol % and 18 mol %.
27 . The rubber composition of claim 23 , wherein the epoxidized rubber component is the eBR.
28 . The rubber composition of claim 23 , wherein the epoxidized rubber component is the eSBR.
29 . The rubber composition of claim 23 , wherein the modified rubber component is in an amount of between 10 phr and 95 phr.
30 . The rubber composition of claim 29 , wherein the modified rubber component is in an amount of between 25 phr and less than 90 phr.
31 . The rubber composition of claim 23 , wherein the second rubber component is in an amount of between 5 phr and 90 phr.
32 . The rubber composition of claim 31 , wherein the second rubber component is in an amount of between greater than 30 phr and 90 phr.
33 . The rubber composition of claim 23 , wherein the second rubber component is BR.
34 . The rubber composition of claim 23 , wherein the second rubber component is SBR.
35 . The rubber composition of claim 23 , wherein a Tg of the rubber composition is between −35° C. and 0° C.
36 . The rubber composition of any of claim 23 , wherein the rubber composition includes no other rubber components.
37 . The rubber composition of claim 23 , comprising between 40 phr and 130 phr of the efficient plasticizing resin.
38 . The rubber composition of claim 23 , wherein the efficient plasticizing resin is a terpene phenolic resin.
39 . The rubber composition of claim 23 , wherein the efficient plasticizing resin is a coumarone-indene resin.
40 . The rubber composition of claim 23 , wherein the efficient plasticizing resin is a polyamide resin.
41 . The rubber composition of claim 23 , wherein the reinforcement filler is silica.
42 . A tire tread, comprising at least in part the rubber composition of claim 23 .