Method for tire tread with functionalized rubber

Abstract

A method that includes providing a modified rubber component selected from a modified polybutadiene rubber (BR), a modified styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) 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 rubber component has a Tg of between −80° C. and −110° C. and selecting an efficient plasticizing resin. 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. Methods may further include mixing between 70 phr and 100 phr of the modified rubber component with between 30 phr and 130 phr of the efficient plasticizing resin.

1 . A method for manufacturing a rubber article, the rubber article formed from a cross-linkable rubber composition, the method comprising:
 providing a modified rubber component selected from a modified polybutadiene rubber (BR), a modified styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) 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.;   selecting an efficient plasticizing resin, wherein the efficient plasticizing resin, when included in a mixture consisting of 100 phr 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;   mixing together non-productive components of the cross-linkable rubber composition into a non-productive mixture, the non-productive components comprising between 70 phr and 100 phr of the modified rubber component, between 30 phr and 130 phr of the efficient plasticizing resin, and a reinforcement filler;   mixing a curing agent component into the non-productive mixture to convert it to a productive mixture; and   forming the rubber article.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting the efficient plasticizing resin comprises:
 mixing 100 phr of the modified rubber component with 67 phr of a candidate for the efficient plasticizing resin;   mixing 100 phr of the modified rubber component with 67 phr of a candidate for the efficient plasticizing resin;   identifying the candidate as an efficient plasticizing resin if the determined difference is at least 14° C.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the functional group and the efficient plasticizing resin have a hydrogen bonding interaction. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , 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. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the epoxidized rubber component is the eBR. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the epoxidized rubber component is the eSBR. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a Tg of the modified rubber composition is between 0° C. and −35° C. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein mixing together non-productive components includes between 40 phr and 130 phr of the efficient plasticizing resin. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 curing the rubber article.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the efficient plasticizing resin is a terpene phenolic resin. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the efficient plasticizing resin is a coumarone-indene resin. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the efficient plasticizing resin is a polyamide resin. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the efficient plasticizing resin is a hydrocarbon resin. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement filler is silica. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein mixing together non-productive components includes between 40 phr and 130 phr of the efficient plasticizing resin. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein mixing together non-productive components includes between 40 phr and 130 phr of the efficient plasticizing resin. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the efficient plasticizing resin is selected from the group consisting of a polyamide resin, a hydrocarbon resin, terpene phenolic resin, a coumarone-indene resin or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the efficient plasticizing resin is selected from the group consisting of a polyamide resin, a hydrocarbon resin, terpene phenolic resin, a coumarone-indene resin or combinations thereof.