Expanding the “Magic Triangle” of Reinforced Rubber Using a Supramolecular Filler Strategy

A strategy for optimizing the rolling resistance, wet skid and cut resistance of reinforced rubber simultaneously using a supramolecular filler is demonstrated. A β-alanine trimer-grafted Styrene Butadiene Rubber (A(3)-SBR) pristine polymer was designed and mechanically mixed with commercially available styrene butadiene rubber to help the dispersion of a β-alanine trimer (A(3)) supramolecular filler in the rubber matrix. To increase the miscibility of A(3)-SBR with other rubber components during mechanical mixing, the pristine polymer was saturated with ethanol before mixing. The mixture was vulcanized using a conventional rubber processing method. The morphology of the assembles of the A(3) supramolecular filler in the rubber matrix was studied by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The Differential Scanning Calorimetry study showed that the melting temperature of β-sheet crystals in the vulcanizates was around 179 °C and was broad. The melting temperature was similar to that of the pristine polymer, and the broad melting peak likely suggests that the size of the crystals is not uniform. The Transmission Electron Microscopy study revealed that after mixing the pristine polymer with SBR, some β-sheet crystals were rod-like with several tens of nanometers and some β-sheet crystals were particulate with low aspect ratios. Tensile testing with pre-cut specimens showed that the vulcanizate containing A(3)-SBR was more cut-resistant than the one that did not contain A(3)-SBR, especially at a large cut size. The rolling resistance and wet skid were predicted by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). DMA tests showed that the vulcanizates containing A(3)-SBR were significantly less hysteretic at 60 °C and more hysteretic at 0 °C based on loss factor. Overall, the “magic triangle” was expanded by optimizing the rolling resistance, wet-skid, and cut resistance simultaneously using a β-alanine trimer supramolecular filler. The Payne effect also became less severe after introducing the β-alanine trimer supramolecular filler into the system.