JP2010059269A - Pneumatic tire - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pneumatic tire excellent in fuel economy and abrasion resistance. <P>SOLUTION: This pneumatic tire has a rubber portion comprising a rubber composition obtained by mixing a hydrophobic inorganic oxide (for example, hydrophobic silica) and a rubber. The hydrophobic inorganic oxide is obtained by surface treatment of a hydrophilic inorganic oxide particle with a sulfide silane coupling agent, an organic silane compound (for example aminosilane compound), and a hydrophobizing agent (for example, a carboxylic acid compound, an alkylketene dimer, a diisocyanate compound), and comprises a sulfide silane coupling agent bonded to a hydroxy group on a particle surface and a hydrophobizing agent bonded to a hydroxy group on a particle surface through an organic silane compound. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire using a rubber composition containing a specific hydrophobic inorganic oxide.

  Generally, pneumatic tires have required performance such as low fuel consumption, good wear resistance, and high grip. Of these, in order to improve fuel efficiency, it is effective to reduce the hysteresis loss of the rubber composition constituting the tire so as to reduce heat generation. Therefore, in the tire rubber composition, carbon black as a filler is replaced with an inorganic oxide such as silica.

  Such inorganic oxides include hydrophilic inorganic oxides having a hydroxyl group on the particle surface. For example, silica has a silanol group (Si—OH) on the particle surface. Thus, when a hydroxyl group exists on the particle surface, there is a problem that the particles of the inorganic oxide are easily aggregated due to the influence thereof and the dispersibility is poor. Then, dispersibility and reinforcement are improved by mix | blending a silane coupling agent with an inorganic oxide.

  However, the demand for reducing the fuel consumption of pneumatic tires has recently increased, and it is required to reduce the hysteresis loss of the rubber composition more than before. On the other hand, in order to ensure good wear resistance as a tire, the rubber composition is also required to have excellent reinforcing properties. In response to such demands, simply blending a silane coupling agent with rubber together with silica cannot sufficiently meet the requirements.

  On the other hand, in order to hydrophobize a hydrophilic inorganic filler having a hydroxyl group on the particle surface such as silica, a hydrophobic inorganic oxide obtained by surface treatment with a hydrophobizing agent is known.

  For example, Patent Document 1 below proposes a hydrophobic silica obtained by treating silica with an aminoalkylsilane compound and then reacting with at least one hydrophobizing agent selected from carboxylic acid, alkyl ketene dimer and diisocyanate compound. Has been. However, this document is merely an improvement in the hydrophobicity of silica for the purpose of improving the photoaging prevention performance of general paints, and it does not disclose the point of use in tires. In addition, although improvement in abrasion resistance of rubber and resin and improvement in mechanical strength are mentioned as problems, when hydrophobic silica disclosed in the same document is actually added to a rubber composition for tires, It was inferior in abrasion and was insufficient in terms of low heat generation.

  Patent Document 2 listed below discloses a rubber composition obtained by blending and kneading silica, which has been surface-treated with an organic silicon compound to a predetermined degree of hydrophobicity, in a diene rubber. In this document, it is disclosed that a silane coupling agent is blended together with the partially hydrophobized silica, but the silane coupling agent is added when the rubber is mixed. Therefore, the dispersibility of silica is insufficient, the effect of improving the low heat build-up is small, and the reinforcement is not sufficient. Further, this document relates to a rubber composition for a hose or a conveyor belt and does not disclose a tire.

  Patent Document 3 below proposes a method for producing an anhydrous oxide surface-treated with an alkoxysilane compound having a thiocyanate group or a sulfide bond, and its blending into a rubber composition. However, this document discloses that the surface of the silica is treated by a predetermined modification method using an organosilicon compound such as a sulfide silane coupling agent in order to improve the storage stability of the silica itself. Is not disclosed, and such silica has insufficient dispersibility in the rubber composition, and the effect of improving the fuel efficiency is small.

  On the other hand, Patent Document 4 below discloses a tire using a rubber composition in which silica hydrophobized in advance to diene rubber, and organomercaptosilane and alkoxyalkyl are used as silica hydrophobized in advance. Silicas treated with silane are disclosed. Thus, although the silica surface-treated using the mercaptosilane coupling agent and the hydrophobizing agent has been disclosed, further improvement is required in terms of low heat buildup and reinforcement.

In Patent Document 5 below, in a rubber composition constituting a tire, together with silica as a filler, bis- (3-triethoxysilylpropyl) tetrasulfide as a silica coupler and n-octadecyl as a hydrophobizing agent. The incorporation of trimethoxysilane is disclosed. However, in this document, the silica coupler and the hydrophobizing agent are blended together with silica at the time of rubber mixing, and silica is not surface-treated in advance.
JP 2006-117445 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 08-176345 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 05-017705 JP 2001-354805 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-001565

  It is known to surface-treat inorganic oxides such as silica as in Patent Documents 1 to 4, and such surface-treated silica is blended into a rubber composition as in Patent Documents 2 to 4. Further, a pneumatic tire using the rubber composition as in Patent Document 4 is also known. However, there is no known hydrophobic inorganic oxide obtained by surface-treating an inorganic oxide in advance with a sulfide silane coupling agent, an organic silane compound, and a hydrophobizing agent. It was also not known to form a pneumatic tire.

  In view of the above points, the present invention provides a pneumatic tire excellent in fuel efficiency and wear resistance by molding a tire using a rubber composition containing a specific hydrophobic inorganic oxide. With the goal.

  The pneumatic tire according to the present invention is a pneumatic tire having a rubber portion using a rubber composition obtained by mixing a hydrophobic inorganic oxide that has been hydrophobized in advance with rubber, and the hydrophobic inorganic oxide A product obtained by surface-treating a hydrophilic inorganic oxide particle with a sulfide silane coupling agent, an organic silane compound, and a hydrophobizing agent, and a sulfide silane coupling agent bonded to a hydroxyl group on the particle surface; It is a hydrophobic inorganic oxide having a hydrophobizing agent bonded to a hydroxyl group on the surface via an organosilane compound.

  The hydrophobic inorganic oxide has a hydrophobizing agent bonded to the particle surface through an organic silane compound together with a sulfide silane coupling agent, so that it has excellent dispersibility when blended in a rubber composition and has a low A rubber composition having excellent exothermic properties and excellent reinforcing properties can be obtained. Therefore, by applying this to a rubber part constituting a tire such as a tread, a pneumatic tire excellent in fuel efficiency and wear resistance can be obtained.

  More specifically, a hydrophobic inorganic oxide that is only surface-treated to an inorganic oxide with a sulfide silane coupling agent has poor dispersibility in rubber. Further, a hydrophobic inorganic oxide surface-treated with only an organic silane compound and a hydrophobizing agent has poor reinforcement with rubber. Hydrophobic inorganic oxidation that combines reinforcing properties with rubber and dispersibility into rubber by providing a hydrophobic agent bonded via an organosilane compound and a sulfide silane coupling agent in a state of being bonded to the particle surface. And a remarkable synergistic effect is obtained in terms of low fuel consumption and wear resistance. In addition, when mixing the rubber, adding and mixing the inorganic oxide and the sulfide silane coupling agent, the organic silane compound and the hydrophobizing agent, such an excellent effect cannot be obtained. An effect is obtained.

  Hereinafter, matters related to the implementation of the present invention will be described in detail.

  First, the hydrophobic inorganic oxide used for the pneumatic tire of the present invention will be described. This hydrophobic inorganic oxide is obtained by subjecting hydrophilic inorganic oxide particles to a surface treatment with a sulfide silane coupling agent, an organic silane compound, and a hydrophobizing agent, and sulfides bonded to hydroxyl groups on the particle surface. It has a silane coupling agent and a hydrophobizing agent bonded to the hydroxyl group on the particle surface via an organosilane compound.

  The said hydrophilic inorganic oxide used as surface treatment object has a hydroxyl group on the particle | grain surface, and is not specifically limited. Examples of the inorganic oxide include silica, alumina, zinc oxide, titanium oxide, clay, talc, diatomaceous earth, and the like, and these can be used alone or in combination of two or more. Silica is particularly preferable as the inorganic oxide, and examples of the silica include wet precipitation silica, wet gelation silica, and dry silica.

  The organic silane compound is preferably an aminosilane compound having an amino group as a binding site with a hydrophobizing agent, and the hydrophobizing agent preferably has a functional group capable of reacting with an amino group. Further, the hydrophobizing agent is preferably a compound having 5 or more carbon atoms, more preferably a compound having 10 or more carbon atoms, in order to impart high hydrophobicity to the inorganic oxide. Here, the term “hydrophobization” means that the polarity of the surface of the inorganic oxide is reduced by the surface treatment. Therefore, the hydrophobic inorganic oxide used in the present invention is converted into the hydrophilic inorganic oxide before the treatment by the surface treatment. In contrast, it means that the surface has a small polarity.

Specific examples of the hydrophobizing agent include the following general formula (1) (wherein R ¹ is a linear or branched alkyl group having 3 to 22 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group, and X is a hydroxyl group or a chlorine atom. And a carboxylic acid compound represented by the following general formula (2) (wherein R ² and R ³ are both a linear or branched alkyl group having ^{3 to} 22 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group, An alkyl ketene dimer represented by the following general formula (3) (wherein R ⁴ is an alkylene group having 6 to 24 carbon atoms and an alkyl phenylene group): It is preferable to use at least one of these.

  The carboxylic acid compound represented by the general formula (1) is a carboxylic acid or a carboxylic acid halide. Specifically, as carboxylic acid, propionic acid, butanoic acid, hexanoic acid, decanoic acid, dodecanoic acid, myristic acid, isomyristic acid, palmitic acid, isopalmitic acid, stearic acid, isostearic acid, oleic acid, behenic acid, etc. Is mentioned. The carboxylic acid halide is an acid chloride or acid bromide of the above carboxylic acid. Specifically, propion acid chloride, propion acid bromide, butanoic acid chloride, hexanoic acid chloride, decanoic acid chloride , Dodecanoic acid chloride, myristic acid chloride, isomyristic acid chloride, palmitic acid chloride, isopalmitic acid chloride, stearic acid chloride, stearic acid bromide, isostearic acid chloride, isostearic acid bromide, oleic acid chloride , Behenyl acid chloride and the like. These can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

In the alkyl ketene dimer represented by the general formula (2), specific examples of R ² and R ³ include propyl group, butyl group, octyl group, 2-ethylhexyl group, decyl group, dodecyl group, coconut alkyl (carbon number: 10 -12) group, tetradodecyl group, stearyl group, isostearyl group, hardened beef tallow alkyl (carbon number 14-18) group, tallow alkyl (carbon number 14-18) group, oleyl group, behenyl group, ethylphenyl group, isopropyl Examples thereof include a phenyl group, a butylphenyl group, an octylphenyl group, a nonylphenyl group, a decylphenyl group, and a dodecylphenyl group. R ² and R ³ preferably have 10 to 22 carbon atoms.

  Specific examples of the alkyl ketene dimer include butylene ketene dimer, octyl ketene dimer, 2-ethylhexyl ketene dimer, decyl ketene dimer, dodecyl ketene dimer, palm alkyl (10 to 12 carbon atoms) ketene dimer, tetradecyl ketene dimer, hexadecyl Examples include ketene dimer, stearyl ketene dimer, isostearyl ketene dimer, behenyl ketene dimer, hardened beef tallow alkyl (carbon number 14 to 18) ketene dimer, oleyl ketene dimer, octylphenyl ketene dimer, dodecyl phenyl ketene dimer, and the like. These can be used alone or in combination of two or more. As such an alkyl ketene dimer, an alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) for papermaking which is used as a sizing agent in the paper industry can be used. For example, Size Pine K series manufactured by Arakawa Chemical Industries, Ltd. is commercially available. And its use is recommended.

Examples of the diisocyanate compound represented by the general formula (3) include 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate, 2,2,4-trimethyltetramethylene diisocyanate, methylene bis- (1,4-cyclohexylene) diisocyanate, isophorone diisocyanate, norbornane diisocyanate. And alkyl phenylene diisocyanates such as 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, xylylene diisocyanate, and tolylene diisocyanate. These can be used alone or in combination of two or more. More preferably, R ⁴ has 6 to 14 carbon atoms.

  Among the above-mentioned hydrophobizing agents, particularly preferred are decanoic acid, dodecanoic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, decanoic acid chloride, dodecanoic acid chloride, stearic acid chloride, hardened tallow alkyl (carbon number 14-18) ketene. Examples include dimer, stearyl ketene dimer, behenyl ketene dimer, 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate, 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, xylylene diisocyanate, and tolylene diisocyanate. More preferred are dodecanoic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid.

  As the aminosilane compound suitable as the organic silane compound, those represented by the following general formula (4) are suitable.

_{^{H 2 N- (R 5 -NH)}} n -R 6 -Si (R 7) (R 8) (R 9) ... (4)
In the formula, R ⁵ is an alkylene group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and specific examples include a methylene group, an ethylene group, a propylene group, and an isopropylene group. R ⁶ is an alkylene group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and examples thereof include a methylene group, an ethylene group, a propylene group, an isopropylene group, a butylene group, and an isobutylene group. R ⁷ , R ⁸ , and R ⁹ are each independently a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or an alkoxy group, such as a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, an ethyl group, a propyl group, an isopropyl group, a methoxy group, or an ethoxy group. It is a group. n is an integer of 0-5.

  Specific examples of the aminosilane compound include 2-aminoethyltrimethoxysilane, 2-aminoethyltriethoxysilane, 2-aminoethylethyldiethoxysilane, 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, 3- (2-aminoethyl) aminopropylmethyldimethoxysilane, 3- (2-aminoethyl) aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, 3- (2-aminoethyl) aminopropyltriethoxysilane, 3- (2-aminoethyl) Examples thereof include aminopropylethyldiethoxysilane, preferably 2-aminoethyltriethoxysilane, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, and 3- (2-aminoethyl) aminopropyltrimethoxysilane. These can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

  The sulfide silane coupling agent binds silica and rubber and reacts with a sulfide part as a functional group capable of reacting with a rubber polymer and a hydroxyl group of inorganic oxide (in the case of silica, a silanol group). It is a silane compound having a functional group such as an alkoxy group or halogen. Preferably, what is represented by the following general formula (5) is used.

(R ¹⁰ O) ₃ Si—R ¹¹ —S _x —R ¹¹ — (OR ¹⁰ ) ₃ (5)
In the formula, R ¹⁰ is a methyl group or an ethyl group, and R ¹¹ is an alkylene group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms. x is 2 to 8, more preferably 2 to 4. In addition, x has a normal distribution, that is, it is generally marketed as a mixture having different numbers of sulfur chain bonds, and x represents an average value thereof. Specific examples of the sulfide silane coupling agent include bis (3-triethoxysilylpropyl) tetrasulfide, bis (3-triethoxysilylpropyl) disulfide and the like.

  The hydrophobic inorganic oxide used in the present invention is a hydrophobic silane coupling agent bonded to the hydroxyl group on the particle surface of the hydrophilic inorganic oxide, and the hydrophobized bonded to the hydroxyl group on the particle surface via an organosilane compound. It has an agent. Such a hydrophobic inorganic oxide is obtained by subjecting the hydrophilic inorganic oxide particles to a surface treatment with a sulfide silane coupling agent and an organic silane compound in advance, and a hydrophobic group having a functional group capable of reacting with an amino group of the organic silane compound. It can be produced by reacting an agent.

  Each treatment method is not particularly limited, and can be performed according to a normal hydrophobized surface treatment method. For example, while stirring the hydrophilic inorganic oxide in a mixer or blender, a sulfide silane coupling agent and an organic silane compound can be added and reacted, and then a hydrophobizing agent can be added and reacted. Any one of the sulfide silane coupling agent and the organic silane compound may be reacted first, or may be reacted simultaneously. Each reaction can be performed in a state where silica is dispersed in a solvent such as water or isopropyl alcohol. By producing in this way, the sulfide silane coupling agent and the organic silane compound are bonded to the hydroxyl group on the surface of the hydrophilic inorganic oxide particles, respectively, and the hydrophobizing agent is bonded to the organic silane compound. .

  It is preferable that the usage-amount of a sulfide silane coupling agent is 2-20 weight part with respect to 100 weight part of hydrophilic inorganic oxides, More preferably, it is 4-15 weight part. When there is too little usage-amount of a sulfide silane coupling agent, it is inferior to the reinforcement improvement effect. If the amount used is too large, the cost is high and uneconomical, and the amount of the organic silane compound for introducing the hydrophobic agent to the inorganic oxide surface decreases.

  It is preferable that the usage-amount of an organosilane compound is 0.5-10 weight part with respect to 100 weight part of hydrophilic inorganic oxides, More preferably, it is 0.8-4 weight part. If the amount of the organosilane compound used is too small, the effect of improving dispersibility is poor. Moreover, when there are too many the usage-amounts, while it is expensive and uneconomical, the coupling | bonding amount with respect to the inorganic oxide surface of a sulfide silane coupling agent will decrease.

  The molar ratio of the sulfide silane coupling agent to the organosilane compound is preferably 10: 1 to 1: 3, more preferably 5: 1 to 1: 1. When the ratio of the sulfide silane coupling agent is too large, the effect of improving the dispersibility with respect to the rubber composition is lowered. Conversely, when the ratio of the organic silane compound is too large, the effect of improving the reinforcing property is inferior.

  The rubber composition used in the present invention is a mixture of a hydrophobic inorganic oxide surface-treated in advance as described above and rubber. The dispersibility in the rubber composition can be mainly improved by the hydrophobizing agent fixed to the particle surface by the binding reaction with the organosilane compound. Apart from this, the sulfide silane coupling agent bonded to the particle surface is bonded to the rubber polymer by the sulfide portion, whereby the reinforcement can be mainly improved. Therefore, the rubber composition containing the hydrophobic inorganic oxide is excellent in low exothermic property (low hysteresis loss) due to the excellent dispersibility of the inorganic oxide, and is improved in the reinforcing property so that it has improved wear resistance. Excellent. On the other hand, when the rubber is mixed, an inorganic oxide, a sulfide silane coupling agent, an organic silane compound, and a hydrophobizing agent are added and mixed. Since the fixing structure is not obtained and a synergistic effect with the sulfide silane coupling agent is not obtained, the rubber composition is completely different, and the above-described excellent effect is not obtained.

  As the rubber, a diene rubber having an unsaturated bond capable of reacting with the sulfide portion of the sulfide silane coupling agent is suitable. Examples of the diene rubber include, but are not limited to, natural rubber, isoprene rubber, butadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, styrene-isoprene rubber, butadiene-isoprene rubber, nitrile rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer, and the like. These can be used alone or in admixture of two or more. Among these, natural rubber, isoprene rubber, butadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, or a blend thereof is particularly preferably used.

  Although the compounding quantity of the hydrophobic inorganic oxide with respect to the said rubber | gum is not specifically limited, It is preferable that it is 10-150 weight part with respect to 100 weight part of rubber | gum, More preferably, it is 20-100 weight part.

  In the rubber composition, as other components, other fillers such as carbon black, vulcanizing agent, vulcanization accelerator, anti-aging agent, zinc white, softener, plasticizer, etc. Various additives that are usually blended can be added as necessary. The hydrophobic inorganic oxide can be used in combination with a known inorganic oxide such as untreated silica or a known silane coupling agent. The rubber composition can be prepared by kneading using a commonly used Banbury mixer, kneader, roller or other mixer.

  The rubber composition thus produced can constitute rubber parts (tread rubber, sidewall rubber, etc.) of various pneumatic tires by vulcanization molding at 140 to 180 ° C., for example, according to a conventional method. it can. In particular, it is preferably used for a tread rubber portion of a pneumatic tire.

  Examples of the present invention will be described below, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

(Preparation of hydrophobic silica 1)
To a mixer, 5000 mL of isopropyl alcohol and 1000 g of hydrophilic silica (“Nip Seal AQ” manufactured by Tosoh Silica Co., Ltd.) were added and stirred. Subsequently, 80 g of a sulfide silane coupling agent A (Degussa “Si75”, bis (3-triethoxysilylpropyl) disulfide) was added and stirred for 20 minutes, and then aminosilane compound A (manufactured by Toray Dow Corning “ SH6020 ", 3- (2-aminoethyl) aminopropyltrimethoxysilane) 40g was added and stirring was continued for another 20 minutes.

  The solvent was removed under reduced pressure until the solvent was about 1/3 of the resulting slurry. Thereafter, 50 g of stearic acid (“Lunac S-20” manufactured by Kao Corporation) was melted at 50 ° C. in 500 mL of toluene, mixed with the slurry, and stirred for 120 minutes. Then, it dried under reduced pressure and obtained the hydrophobic silica 1.

(Preparation of hydrophobic silica 2)
To a mixer, 5000 mL of isopropyl alcohol and 1000 g of hydrophilic silica (“Nip Seal AQ” manufactured by Tosoh Silica Co., Ltd.) were added and stirred. Subsequently, 80 g of a sulfide silane coupling agent B (Degussa “Si69”, bis (3-triethoxysilylpropyl) tetrasulfide) was added and stirred for 20 minutes, and then aminosilane compound B (manufactured by Toray Dow Corning Co., Ltd.). 40 g of “SH6011”, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane) was added and stirring was continued for another 20 minutes.

  The solvent was removed under reduced pressure until the solvent was about 1/3 of the resulting slurry. Thereafter, 167 g of alkyl ketene dimer (“Size Pine K-931” manufactured by Arakawa Chemical Industries, Ltd., solid content concentration: 30 wt%) was mixed with the slurry and stirred for 120 minutes. Then, it dried under reduced pressure with the evaporator and the hydrophobic silica 2 was obtained.

(Preparation of hydrophobic silica 3)
To a mixer, 5000 mL of isopropyl alcohol and 1000 g of hydrophilic silica (“Nip Seal AQ” manufactured by Tosoh Silica Co., Ltd.) were added and stirred. Subsequently, 80 g of the sulfide silane coupling agent A was added and stirred for 20 minutes, and then 40 g of the aminosilane compound B was added and stirring was continued for another 20 minutes.

  The solvent was removed under reduced pressure until the solvent was about 1/3 of the resulting slurry. Thereafter, a mixture of 500 mL of toluene and 50 g of diphenylmethane diisocyanate (manufactured by Tomen Chemical Co., Ltd.) was added to the slurry and stirred for 120 minutes. Then, it dried under reduced pressure with the evaporator and the hydrophobic silica 3 was obtained.

(Preparation of hydrophobic silica 4)
To a mixer, 5000 mL of isopropyl alcohol and 1000 g of hydrophilic silica (“Nip Seal AQ” manufactured by Tosoh Silica Co., Ltd.) were added and stirred. Subsequently, 80 g of the sulfide silane coupling agent A was added and stirred for 20 minutes, and then 40 g of the aminosilane compound B was added and stirring was continued for another 20 minutes.

  The solvent was removed under reduced pressure until the solvent was about 1/3 of the resulting slurry. Thereafter, 50 g of lauric acid (manufactured by Nacalai Tesque Co., Ltd.) was melted at 50 ° C. in 500 mL of toluene, mixed with the slurry, and stirred for 120 minutes. Then, it dried under reduced pressure with the evaporator and the hydrophobic silica 4 was obtained.

(Preparation of hydrophobic silica 5 (comparative example))
To a mixer, 5000 mL of isopropyl alcohol and 1000 g of hydrophilic silica (“Nip Seal AQ” manufactured by Tosoh Silica Co., Ltd.) were added and stirred. While stirring, 80 g of the above sulfide silane coupling agent A was added and stirring was continued for 20 minutes, followed by drying under reduced pressure to obtain hydrophobic silica 5.

(Preparation of hydrophobic silica 6 (comparative example))
To a mixer, 5000 mL of isopropyl alcohol and 1000 g of hydrophilic silica (“Nip Seal AQ” manufactured by Tosoh Silica Co., Ltd.) were added and stirred. While stirring, 40 g of the aminosilane compound A was added and stirring was continued for 20 minutes.

  The solvent was removed under reduced pressure until the solvent was about 1/3 of the resulting slurry. Thereafter, 50 g of stearic acid (“Lunac S-20” manufactured by Kao Corporation) was melted at 50 ° C. in 500 mL of toluene, mixed with the slurry, and stirred for 120 minutes. Then, it dried under reduced pressure and obtained the hydrophobic silica 6.

(Preparation of hydrophobic silica 7 (comparative example))
To a mixer, 5000 mL of isopropyl alcohol and 1000 g of hydrophilic silica (“Nip Seal AQ” manufactured by Tosoh Silica Co., Ltd.) were added and stirred. While stirring, 80 g of the above sulfide silane coupling agent A was added. After stirring for 20 minutes, 50 g of an alkylsilane compound (“Z6341” manufactured by Toray Dow Corning Co., Ltd., triethoxyoctylsilane) was added, and stirring was further continued for 20 minutes. The obtained slurry was dried under reduced pressure to obtain hydrophobic silica 7.

(Production and evaluation of tires)
Using a Banbury mixer, according to the formulation shown in Table 1 below, each component was added and mixed to prepare a rubber composition. The detail of each component of Table 1 is as follows.

SSBR: styrene-butadiene rubber, “VSL5025-OHM” manufactured by Bayer,
-BR: butadiene rubber, "BR150B" manufactured by Ube Industries,
・ Silica: “Nip Seal AQ” manufactured by Tosoh Silica Co., Ltd.
Sulfide silane coupling agent A: “Si75” manufactured by Degussa
Aminosilane compound A: “SH6020” manufactured by Toray Dow Corning Co., Ltd.
Stearic acid: “Lunac S-20” manufactured by Kao Corporation.

  In each rubber composition, 3 parts by weight of zinc white (“Zinc Hana 1” manufactured by Mitsui Mining & Mining) and an anti-aging agent (“Antigen 6C” manufactured by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.) per 100 parts by weight of diene rubber ) 2 parts by weight, 40 parts by weight of process oil (“Process Oil X-140” manufactured by JOMO), 2 parts by weight of wax (“OZOACE0355” manufactured by Nippon Seiki), sulfur (“5% oil-filled fine powder sulfur” manufactured by Tsurumi Chemical Industries) ) 1.5 parts by weight, 1.8 parts by weight of a vulcanization accelerator (“Soxinol CZ” manufactured by Sumitomo Chemical) and 2.0 parts by weight of a vulcanization accelerator (“Noxeller D” manufactured by Ouchi Shinsei Chemical) were blended.

  Each rubber composition obtained is applied to a cap tread of a tire having a tread having a cap / base structure, and a 205 / 65R159H pneumatic radial tire is manufactured in accordance with a conventional method to achieve low fuel consumption and wear resistance. (Used rim: 15 × 6.5JJ). Moreover, the balance (wear resistance / low fuel consumption) of both was evaluated. Each evaluation method is as follows.

Low fuel consumption: The rolling resistance when running at 80 km / h at 23 ° C. with a single-axis drum tester for measuring rolling resistance at an air pressure of 230 kPa and a load of 450 kgf was measured. The results were expressed as an index with the value of Comparative Example 1 as 100. The smaller the index is, the smaller the rolling resistance is, and thus the better the fuel efficiency.

Abrasion resistance: Each tire was mounted on a 2000 cc FF vehicle, and the remaining groove depth after running 10,000 km was measured while rotating back and forth every 2500 km. The remaining groove was expressed as an index with an average value of four tires and the value of Comparative Example 1 as 100. It shows that it is excellent in abrasion resistance, so that an index | exponent is large.

Abrasion resistance / low fuel consumption: an index of a balance between low fuel consumption and wear resistance, and was calculated by (abrasion resistance / low fuel consumption) × 100. The higher this value, the better.

  The results are as shown in Table 1. In the pneumatic tires of Examples 1 to 6 according to the present invention, silica surface-treated with a sulfide silane coupling agent and an aminosilane compound, and further a hydrophobizing agent such as stearic acid By using the hydrophobic silica obtained by reacting with, the rolling loss is low due to the reduction in hysteresis loss due to the improvement in silica dispersibility, and the fuel efficiency is excellent. In addition, since the reinforcement was improved, the wear resistance was excellent.

  On the other hand, as in Comparative Example 2, in the case of mixing rubber, silica, a sulfide silane coupling agent, an aminosilane compound, and stearic acid were added and mixed. Almost no resistance was obtained and the wear resistance was deteriorated.

  Moreover, although the silica was surface-treated in advance, Comparative Example 3 using the hydrophobic silica 5 surface-treated only with the sulfide silane coupling agent was poor in dispersibility in rubber, and the effect of improving fuel economy was achieved in the examples. It was clearly inferior. Further, in Comparative Example 5 in which an aminosilane compound and stearic acid were added to the rubber when mixed, there was no further improvement effect of low fuel consumption, and the wear resistance was deteriorated.

  On the other hand, in Comparative Example 4 using hydrophobic silica 6 that was previously surface-treated with an aminosilane compound and stearic acid, the reinforcement with rubber was inferior, and the wear resistance was remarkably deteriorated. Further, in Comparative Example 6 in which the sulfide silane coupling agent was added to the rubber during mixing, the low fuel consumption deteriorated, and the wear resistance was insufficient.

  Further, Comparative Example 7 using hydrophobic silica 7 surface-treated in advance with a sulfide silane coupling agent and an alkylsilane compound was inferior in fuel efficiency and wear resistance to Examples 1-6.

  As described above, in Examples 1 to 6, a hydrophobic silica having a hydrophobizing agent such as stearic acid bonded to the particle surface through an aminosilane compound together with a sulfide silane coupling agent was used for a tire tread. As a result, an excellent effect of improving fuel economy and wear resistance exceeding the prediction of a person skilled in the art, which cannot be said to be a simple combination of these surface treatments, was obtained.

Claims (6)

A pneumatic tire having a rubber portion using a rubber composition obtained by mixing a hydrophobic inorganic oxide that has been previously hydrophobized with rubber,
The hydrophobic inorganic oxide is a sulfide silane cup bonded to a hydroxyl group on the particle surface obtained by surface-treating hydrophilic inorganic oxide particles with a sulfide silane coupling agent, an organic silane compound, and a hydrophobizing agent. A hydrophobic inorganic oxide having a ring agent and a hydrophobizing agent bonded to a hydroxyl group on the particle surface via an organosilane compound;
A pneumatic tire characterized by that. The hydrophobizing agent has the general formula (1) (wherein R ¹ is a linear or branched alkyl group having 3 to 22 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group, and X is a hydroxyl group, a chlorine atom, or a bromine atom). A carboxylic acid compound represented by general formula (2) (wherein R ² and R ³ are both a linear or branched alkyl group, an alkenyl group, and an alkylphenyl group having ^{3 to} 22 carbon atoms). At least one hydrophobic compound selected from diisocyanate compounds represented by an alkyl ketene dimer represented by the general formula (3) (wherein R ⁴ is an alkylene group having 6 to 24 carbon atoms or an alkylphenylene group): The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the pneumatic tire is an agent.

  The pneumatic tire according to claim 2, wherein the hydrophobizing agent has 10 or more carbon atoms.   The pneumatic tire according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the organosilane compound is an organosilane compound having an amino group as a binding site with the hydrophobizing agent.   The pneumatic tire according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the rubber is a diene rubber.   The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the rubber portion is a tread.