High-performance tire of silica-based elastomer composite using nanomaterials

Abstract

In recent, due to intensified environmental regulation and the rapid change in the automobile industry such as an electric vehicle, tire tread composites are encountering a considerable challenge to meet various performances simultaneously

not only wet traction, dry stability, snow traction, rolling resistance, but also enhanced wear resistance with minimizing trade-off. Silica-based elastomer composite is the most commonly used material for fabricating a high-performance tire tread part with essential requirements for wet traction and rolling resistance. However, as is well known, it has a threshold of wear resistance owing to trade-off nature. In this study, we investigated the possibility of application to high-loading silica-based elastomer composite using various nanomaterials such as single-wall and multi-wall carbon nanotubes and graphenes without any pre-treatment of nanomaterials itself. As a result, a multi-wall carbon nanotube with a rough-surface was a very suitable and effective material than other nanomaterials when considering comprehensive tire performances and viability toward industry. Furthermore, the application of the combination with rough-surface multi-wall carbon nanotube and soybean oil to high-loading silica-based elastomer composite was taken as remarkable results for enhanced tire performances simultaneously, with minimizing trade-off of other performances. The result of the practical tire test was improved wet braking and dry braking, advantageous snow traction with a similar level of rolling resistance compared to the present silica-based composite. Moreover, wear resistance was a largely enhanced result with maintaining a commercial level of other properties without the trade-off as much as possible. This might be attributed to the fact that the wet traction and dry stability was enhanced by carbon nanotube, and snow traction and wear resistance was complemented by soybean oil. Herein, we could get over the previous technical limits for silica-based composite and have a valuable tool to meet recent fastidious requirements for a high-performance tire by adding rough-surface carbon nanotube and soybean oil to the high loading silica-based elastomer composite. Hence, carbon nanotube/soybean oil-based composite would likely be a very useful and practical technique regarding high loading silica-based elastomer composite.