• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.175-181
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• 2019

The research and development of high-performance polymer materials with excellent gas barrier properties has gained considerable attention from the viewpoint of expanding their applications in various fields, including tire automobile parts and the polymer film industry. Natural rubber (NR) has been widely used as a rubber material in real-life, but its application is limited owing to its poor gas barrier properties. In this paper, we study the gas barrier properties of NR, epoxidized natural rubber (ENR), and their blend compositions by using molecular simulation. The results show that ENR-50 has superior oxygen barrier properties than those of NR. Moreover, the oxygen barrier properties of a blend of NR/ENR-50 improve with increasing volume fraction of ENR-50. The trend of improved oxygen barrier properties of NR, ENR-50, and their blend is in good agreement with experimental observations.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.223-233
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• 2021

In this study, epoxidized liquid isoprene rubber (E-LqIR) was used as a processing aid in a silica-filled natural rubber compound to improve the fuel efficiency, abrasion resistance, and oil migration problems of truck and bus radial tire tread. The wear resistance, fuel efficiency, and extraction resistance of the compound were evaluated according to the molecular weight of E-LqIR. Results of the evaluation showed that the E-LqIR compound had a lower chemical crosslink density than that of a treated distillate aromatic extract (TDAE) oil compound because of the sulfur consumption of E-LqIR. However, the filler-rubber interaction improved because of the reaction of E-LqIR with silica and crosslink with the base rubber by sulfur. As the molecular weight of E-LqIR increased, crosslink with sulfur was facilitated, and the filler-rubber interaction improved, resulting in improved abrasion resistance. The fuel efficiency performance of the E-LqIR compound was poorer than that of the TDAE oil compound because of the low chemical crosslink density and hysteresis loss at the free chain end of E-LqIR. However, the fuel efficiency performance improved as the molecular weight of E-LqIR increased.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.199-204
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• 2020

Considering the immense applicability of isoprene rubbers, such as natural rubber (NR) and synthetic polyisoprene rubber (IR), attempts are being made to introduce more functionality within the rubber structure, e.g. epoxidation, to widen their technological viability. Epoxidation introduces polar epoxy bonds into the rubber molecular chain, resulting in enhanced intermolecular interactions among the rubber chains, increasing the oil resistance and air impermeability. Although there have been many reports on the epoxidation of NR in its latex form, there has been no such report using its solid form (or gum), which limits the epoxidation in terms of portability. Furthermore, the gum form has longer lifetime, while the latex form has limited lifetime for its efficient use. In this study, the epoxidation of natural rubber and polyisoprene rubber (using meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (mCPBA) as the epoxidizing agent) by dissolving their gum in hexane (i.e., the solution method) have been studied and compared. The effects of the amount of mCPBA, reaction time, and reaction temperature were investigated. The present process is easy and facilitates the epoxidation of rubbers in their solid form; therefore, it can be used for industrial upscaling of epoxidized rubber production.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.8-16
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• 2024

As regulations on greenhouse gas emission have strengthened globally, the demand for improved fuel efficiency in automobiles continues to rise. In response, the tire industry is actively conducting research to improve fuel efficiency by enhancing tire performance. In this study, silica-filled epoxidized natural rubber (ENR)/butadiene rubber (BR) blend compounds were manufactured according to ENR types and silica contents, and their physical properties and vulcanizate structure were evaluated. ENR-50, which has a higher epoxide content than ENR-25, exhibited stronger filler-rubber interaction, resulting in superior abrasion resistance. In addition, because of its high glass transition temperature (T_g), the wet grip performance of ENR-50 improved, even though the rolling resistance increased. Increasing the amount of silica had little effect on the abrasion resistance due to the increase in filler-rubber interaction and decrease in toughness. In addition, ENR-50 exhibited better wet grip performance; however, the rolling resistance increased. The results indicated that truck bus radial (TBR) tire tread compounds can be designed by applying ENR-50 to improve wear resistance and wet grip performance. In addition, by applying ENR-25 and reducing the silica contents improve fuel efficiency.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.161-172
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• 2023

Because particulate matter has emerged as a major contributor to air pollution, the tire industry has conducted studies to reduce particulate matters from tires by improving tire performance. In this study, we compared the conventional blending method, in which rubber, filler, and additives are mixed simultaneously, to the Y-blending method, in which masterbatches are blended. We manufactured carbon black (CB)-filled natural rubber (NR)/butadiene rubber (BR) blend and silica-filled epoxidized NR/BR blend compounds to compare the effects of the two blending methods on the physical properties of the compounds and the amount of particulate matter generated. The Y-blending method provided uniform filler distribution in the heterogeneous rubber matrix, improved processability, and exhibited low rolling resistance. This method also improved physical properties owing to the excellent filler-rubber interaction. The results obtained from measuring the generation of particulate matter indicated that, the Y-blending method reduced PM_2.5 particulate matter generation from the CB-filled and silica-filled compounds by 38% and 60%, and that of PM₁₀ by 29% and 67%, respectively. This confirmed the excellence of the Y-blending method regarding the physical properties of truck bus radial tire tread compounds and reduced particulate matter generated.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.234-242
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• 2021

The demand for truck bus radial (TBR) tires with enhanced fuel efficiency and wear resistance have grown in recent years. In addition, as the issue of particulate matter and air pollution increases, efforts are being made to reduce the generation of particulate matter. In this study, the properties of epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) containing a silica-friendly functional group were evaluated by considering it as a base rubber and varying the silica ratio in this binary filler system. The results showed that the wear resistance of the NR/BR blend compound decreased as the silica ratio increased. In contrast, the ENR/BR blend compound exhibited an increase in wear resistance as the silica ratio was increased. In particular, the ENR-50/BR blend compound showed the best wear resistance due to the presence of several epoxide groups. Furthermore, we observed that for tan 𝛿 at 60℃, higher epoxide content resulted in the higher T_g of the rubber, indicating a higher tan 𝛿 at 60℃. On the other hand, it was confirmed that increasing the silica ratio decreased the value of tan 𝛿 at 60℃ in all compounds. In addition, we measured the amount of wear particulate matters generated from the compound wear. These measurements confirmed that in the binary filler system, regardless of the filler type, the quantity of the generated wear particulate matters as the filler-rubber interaction increased. In conclusion, the silica filled ENR/BR blend compound exhibited the lowest generation of wear particulate matters.