Rubber compositions comprising polysaccharides

Abstract

Compositions are disclosed herein comprising a rubber component and a polysaccharide, wherein the polysaccharide comprises i) poly alpha-1,3-glucan; ii) poly alpha-1,3-1,6-glucan; iii) water insoluble alpha-(1,3-glucan) polymer having 90% or greater α-1,3-glycosidic linkages, less than 1% by weight of alpha-1,3,6-glycosidic branch points, and a number average degree of polymerization in the range of from 55 to 10,000; iv) dextran; v) a composition comprising poly alpha-1,3-glucan ester compounds as disclosed herein; or vi) water-insoluble cellulose having a weight-average degree of polymerization (DPw) of about 10 to about 1000 and a cellulose II crystal structure. The compositions can be used in articles such as a tire, a belt, a seal, footwear, a coating, a film, or an adhesive.

1 . A rubber composition comprising:
 a) a rubber component; and   b) a polysaccharide;   wherein the polysaccharide comprises:
 i) poly alpha-1,3-glucan; 
 ii) poly alpha-1,3-1,6-glucan; 
 iii) water insoluble alpha-(1,3-glucan) polymer having 90% or greater α-1,3-glycosidic linkages, less than 1% by weight of alpha-1,3,6-glycosidic branch points, and a number average degree of polymerization in the range of from 55 to 10,000; 
 iv) dextran; 
 v) a composition comprising a poly alpha-1,3-glucan ester compound represented by Structure I: 
   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein 
         (A) n is at least 6; 
         (B) each R is independently an —H or a first group comprising —CO—C x —COOH, wherein the —C x — portion of said first group comprises a chain of 2 to 6 carbon atoms; and 
         (C) the ester compound has a degree of substitution with the first group of about 0.001 to about 0.1; or
 vi) water-insoluble cellulose having a weight-average degree of polymerization (DPw) of about 10 to about 1000 and a cellulose II crystal structure. 
 
       
     
     
         2 . The rubber composition of  claim 1 , wherein the rubber component comprises at least one diene-based sulfur-vulcanizable elastomer having a Tg below −30° C., as determined by dynamic mechanical analysis. 
     
     
         3 . The rubber composition of  claim 2 , wherein the elastomer comprises natural rubber, synthetic polyisoprene, styrene butadiene copolymer rubber, ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber, hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber, polybutadiene, silicone rubber, or neoprene. 
     
     
         4 . The rubber composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polysaccharide comprises poly alpha-1,3-glucan. 
     
     
         5 . The rubber composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polysaccharide comprises poly alpha-1,3-1,6-glucan. 
     
     
         6 . The rubber composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polysaccharide comprises dextran. 
     
     
         7 . The rubber composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polysaccharide comprises a composition comprising a poly alpha-1,3-glucan ester compound represented by Structure I: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein 
         (i) n is at least 6; 
         (ii) each R is independently an —H or a first group comprising —CO—C x —COOH, wherein the —C x — portion of said first group comprises a chain of 2 to 6 carbon atoms; and 
         (iii) the ester compound has a degree of substitution with the first group of about 0.001 to about 0.1. 
       
     
     
         8 . The rubber composition of  claim 7 , wherein the poly alpha-1,3-glucan ester compound comprises poly alpha-1,3-glucan succinate, poly alpha-1,3-glucan methylsuccinate, poly alpha-1,3-glucan 2-methylene succinate, poly alpha-1,3-glucan maleate, poly alpha-1,3-glucan methylmaleate, poly alpha-1,3-glucan dimethyl maleate, poly alpha-1,3-glucan 2-ethyl-3-methyl maleate, poly alpha-1,3-glucan 2-hexyl-3-methyl maleate, poly alpha-1,3-glucan 2-ethyl-3-methylglutaconate, poly alpha-1,3-glucan 2-nonen-1-yl-succinate, poly alpha-1,3-glucan 2-octene-1-yl succinate, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The rubber composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polysaccharide comprises water-insoluble cellulose having a weight-average degree of polymerization (DPw) of about 10 to about 1000 and a cellulose II crystal structure. 
     
     
         10 . The rubber composition of  claim 1 , wherein the rubber composition comprises from about 5 to about 100 parts per hundred of polysaccharide, based on the weight fraction of the rubber component. 
     
     
         11 . The rubber composition of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of carbon black or silica. 
     
     
         12 . The rubber composition of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of a filler, an antioxidant, an antiozonant, a processing aid, a compatibilizer, a bonding agent, a tackifier, a curing agent, an accelerator, a coupling agent, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The rubber composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a polyetheramine. 
     
     
         14 . The rubber composition of  claim 1 , wherein the rubber component comprises styrene butadiene copolymer rubber or hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber, and the polysaccharide comprises poly alpha-1,3-glucan. 
     
     
         15 . An article comprising the rubber composition of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein the article is a tire, a belt, a seal, footwear, a valve, tubing, a mat, a gasket, a coating, a film, or an adhesive. 
     
     
         17 . The rubber composition of  claim 12 , wherein the coupling agent comprises an organic silane compound having an organic moiety capable of reacting with a polymer, the organic moiety being selected from a sulfide group, an amino group, a mercapto group, a vinyl group, a methacryl group, an epoxy group, a halogen, or an alkoxy group. 
     
     
         18 . The rubber composition of  claim 12 , wherein the coupling agent comprises bis(3-triethoxysilylpropyl)tetrasulfide, bis(3-triethoxysilylpropyl)disulfide, bis(2-triethoxysilylethyl)tetrasulfide, 3-mercaptopropyl trimethoxysilane, 3-mercaptopropyl triethoxysilane, 3-nitropropyl trimethoxysilane, or 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane.