Martin E Morrow

US Patent:

53469623, Sep 13, 1994

Filed:

Nov 3, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/145128

Inventors:

William L. Hergenrother - Akron OH
Martin E. Morrow - Muscatine IA

Assignee:

Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. - Akron OH

International Classification:

C08F27102

US Classification:

525281

Abstract:

A tire treadstock elastomer having reduced hysteresis is prepared by (1) preparing a living polymer by anionic polymerization of a conjugated diene or copolymerization of a conjugated diene with a monovinyl aromatic hydrocarbon, (2) endcapping the living polymer with at least one equivalent, preferably 3 to 15 equivalents, of a 1-vinylimidazole or 1-vinylbenzimidazole, preferably 1-vinylimidazole; (3) quenching and recovering the endcapped polymer and (4) curing the endcapped polymer using a conventional rubber curing recipe to form an elastomer having reduced hysteresis. This elastomer either alone or blended with a conventional treadstock rubber may form a tire treadstock.

US Patent:

53490240, Sep 20, 1994

Filed:

Nov 3, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/145113

Inventors:

William L. Hergenrother - Akron OH
Martin E. Morrow - Muscatine IA

Assignee:

Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. - Akron OH

International Classification:

C08F25506

US Classification:

525289

Abstract:

A tire treadstock elastomer having reduced hysteresis is prepared by (1) preparing a living polymer by anionic polymerization of a conjugated diene or copolymerization of a conjugated diene with a monovinyl aromatic hydrocarbon, (2) endcapping the living polymer with at least 2. 2 equivalents, preferably 3 to 15 equivalents, of a vinyl substituted bicyclic or tricyclic (preferably bicyclic) hydrocarbon, (3) quenching and recovering the endcapped polymer and (4) curing the endcapped polymer using a conventional rubber curing recipe to form an elastomer having reduced hysteresis. This elastomer either alone or blended with a conventional treadstock rubber may form a tire treadstock. The preferred endcapping agent is 2-vinylnaphthalene.