Liquid 3,4-polyisoprene: A novel processing aid to achieve tire tread SBR composites with high wet grip and low energy consumption

Processing oils are indispensable in the rubber industry. Conventional oils just physically exist in compounds and migrate out of samples over time, which deteriorates the properties of materials and pollutes the environment. In this study, liquid 3,4-polyisoprene (L3,4-IR) has been synthesized, and it can co-cure with matrix to mitigate migration problems. Furthermore, L3,4-IR gives compounds lower Mooney viscosity, reduced Payne effect, and better filler dispersion than conventional treated distillate aromatic extracted (TDAE) oils. Vulcanizates with the high tan delta value at 0 C and the decreased tan delta value at 60 C were also obtained using L3,4-IR instead of TDAE oil and commercial liquid polyisoprene or polybutadiene, indicating the better wet-grip and lower rolling resistance properties. Compounds containing L3,4-IR also exhibit higher thermal stabilities and better abrasion resistance than sample containing TDAE oils after thermal aging. The excellent properties obtained in this work make L3,4-IR a strong candidate for developing the next generation of green tires with high performance.