Lightweight tire support and composition and method for making a tire support

1. A lightweight tire support, said tire support comprising a microcellular polyurethane polymer having a density of less than 1 g/cc and the microcellular polyurethane polymer comprises:

(A) a hard-segment polymer comprising a reaction product of an at least one first isocyanate and an at least one chain extender;

(B) a soft-segment polymer comprising a reaction product of an at least one second isocyanate and an at least one polyol, said at least one second isocyanate being the same as or different from said at least one first isocyanate and said polyol having a functionality of at least 2.5; and

(C) said hard-segment polymer and said soft-segment polymer being present in an amount effective for providing said tire support with load-bearing capability and temperature stability; and the

hard-segment polymer is in an amount of at least 25 weight percent and no greater than 45 weight percent based on the total weight of the composition.

2. The tire support of claim 1 wherein said hard-segment polymer is in an amount of at least 28 weight percent and no greater than 42 weight percent based on the total weight of the composition.

3. The tire support of claim 1 , wherein said tire support has a tensile modulus of at least 20 mPa at 80° C. and no greater than 60 mPa at 80° C. as determined by ASTM D638.

4. The tire support of claim 1 , wherein said tire support has a tensile modulus of at least 30 mPa at 80° C. and no greater than 50 mPa at 80° C. as determined by ASTM D638.

5. The tire support of claim 1 , wherein said tire support has a tensile modulus that changes by no more than 15 percent over a temperature range of −50° C. and 150° C. based on dynamic mechanical spectroscopy.

6. The tire support of claim 1 wherein said tire support has a tensile modulus that changes by no more than 10 percent over a temperature range of −50° C. and 150° C. based on dynamic mechanical spectrocopy.

7. The tire support of claim 1 , wherein said tire support has a tensile modulus that changes by no more than 8 percent over a temperature range of −50° C. and 150° based on dynamic mechanical spectroscopy.

8. The tire support of claim 1 , wherein said tire support has a change in tensile modulus over a temperature range of −50° C. and 150° C. substantially similar to a rubber tire support's change in tensile modulus over a temperature range of −50° C. and 150° C. based on dynamic mechanical spectroscopy.

9. The tire support of claim 1 , wherein said hard-segment polymer is prepared from a chain extender comprising at least one of an aliphatic amine chain extender, an aromatic amine chain extender, and a modified amine chain extender.

10. The tire support of claim 1 , wherein said hard-segment polymer is prepared from a chain extender comprising at least one of 3,5-diethyl-2,4- or 2,6′-toluene diamine.

11. The tire support of claim 1 , wherein said soft-segment polymer is prepared from a polyol comprising at least one of polypropylene oxide, polybutylene oxide, polyethylene oxide, and polytetramethylene oxide.

12. The tire support of claim 1 , wherein the microcellular polyurethane polymer is formed by reaction injection molding wherein a gas is dispersed into an isocyanate side stream, polyol side steam or combination thereof used to make the reaction injection molded microcellular polyurethane polymer.

13. The tire support of claim 12 wherein the gas is nitrogen, helium, carbon dioxide or combination thereof.

14. A method of preparing a lightweight tire support, said method comprising:

(A) injecting an isocyanate-side stream into a processing mold designed to mold a tire support, said isocyanate-side stream comprising at least one isocyanate;

(B) injecting a polyol-side stream into said processing mold, said polyol-side stream comprising at least one polyol and at least one chain extender; and

(C) reacting said isocyanate-side stream and said polyol-side stream in said processing mold to form a tire support, said tire support comprising a hard-segment polymer and a soft-segment polymer, said soft-segment polymer and said hard-segment polymer being present in an amount effective for providing said tire support with temperature stability and load-bearing capability, wherein a gas is dispersed in the isocyanate-side stream, polyol-stream or combination thereof such that lightweight tire support has a microcellular structure, and the hard-segment polymer is in an amount of at least 25 weight percent and no greater than 45 weight percent based on the total weight of the composition.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the lightweight tire support has a density less than 1 g/cc.