EFFECT OF ELASTOMER NANOPARTICLES ON IMPROVING THE WET SKID RESISTANCE OF SBR/NR COMPOSITES

How to improve the wet skid resistance of rubber composites for tire tread while decreasing the rolling resistance is very important for both rubber researchers and industry. The irradiation-vulcanized elastomer particles, ultrafine fully-vulcanized powder nitrile butadiene rubber (UFPNBR), having the diameter of about 80 nm, were studied on modifying the dynamic mechanical properties of styrene butadiene rubber/natural rubber (SBR/NR) composites for tire tread. It is notable that the UFPNBR particles can improve the tans values of SBR/NR composites in a temperature range from -10 to 20 degrees C and decrease the tans values in the temperature range from 50 to 70 degrees C simultaneously, which indicates that the UFPNBR particles not only can improve the wet skid resistance but also can reduce the rolling resistance of the SBR/NR composites. On the other hand, the UFPNBR-modified SBR/NR composites also have good dynamic properties for safety operation of tires at high temperature and good tensile strength, tear strength, and fatigue properties in the range of 8 phr UFPNBR loadings.