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US4577002A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Elastomeric copolymers, their preparation and their use

Assignee: Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij BV
•
Filing: 1985-05-15
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Granted: 1986-03-18
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Expires: 2005-05-15
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Abstract

Abstract The invention relates to elastomeric copolymers of an aromatic vinyl compound and a conjugated diene, suitable for use in the tread portion of a pneumatic tire, which copolymers have a vinyl content of at least 30% by weight and comprise at least two polymer chains coupled to one another having a differential content of the aromatic vinyl compound at the ends of the copolymer which changes in a portion of not more than 5% of each polymer chain from a first value to a second value which is at least 25 percentage points higher than the first value, and said portion lies within the free terminal 10% portion of the copolymer chain (as determined by monomer conversion); their preparation and their use in tread portions of tires. The process of the invention is characterized by employing as structure modifier a compound of formula R.sup.1 --O--CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --O--R.sup.2 (I) wherein R 1 and R 2 are the same or different C 2-18 alkyl groups, and on completion of polymerization, polymer chains are coupled by means of a coupling agent. The copolymers are characterized by containing a region extending over at least 50% of the polymer chain (as determined by monomer conversion) wherein the differential content of the aromatic vinyl compound in the polymer chain is at least 5% by weight less than the average content of the aromatic vinyl compound in the copolymer.

Inventors

  • 👤 Antonius A. Broekhuis

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 19:35
CPC Classifications
C; C08; C08F; C08F236/00; C08F236/02; C08F236/04; C08F236/10; B; B60; B60C; B60C1/00; B60C1/0016

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 138 words
A process for preparing an elastomeric copolymer of an aromatic vinyl compound and a conjugated diene in the presence of an organolithium initiator characterized in that the process employs etheylene glycol n-butyl tert-butyl ether as a structural modifier to produce a copolymer which has a vinyl content of at least 30% by weight and a differential content of the aromatic vinyl compound at the ends of the copolymer which changes in a portion of not more than 5% of the polymer chain (as determined by monomer conversion) from a first value to a second value which is at least 25% points higher than the first value, and said portion lies with the initial 10% of the copolymer chain (as determined by monomer conversion) and on completion of polymerization, polymer chains are coupled by means of a coupling agent.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 138 words
A process for preparing an elastomeric copolymer of an aromatic vinyl compound and a conjugated diene in the presence of an organolithium initiator characterized in that the process employs etheylene glycol n-butyl tert-butyl ether as a structural modifier to produce a copolymer which has a vinyl content of at least 30% by weight and a differential content of the aromatic vinyl compound at the ends of the copolymer which changes in a portion of not more than 5% of the polymer chain (as determined by monomer conversion) from a first value to a second value which is at least 25% points higher than the first value, and said portion lies with the initial 10% of the copolymer chain (as determined by monomer conversion) and on completion of polymerization, polymer chains are coupled by means of a coupling agent.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 15 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the coupling agent is a tetrafunctional coupling agent.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 18 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said 5% portion is the initial 5% of the copolymer chain.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 23 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the bound styrene content of the copolymer is in the range 10 to 40% by weight.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 19 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the vinyl content is in the range 30 to 60% by weight.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 18 words
A process according to claim 2, wherein said 5% portion is the initial 5% of the copolymer chain.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 23 words
A process according to claim 2, wherein the bound styrene content of the copolymer is in the range 10 to 40% by weight.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 23 words
A process according to claim 3, wherein the bound styrene content of the copolymer is in the range 10 to 40% by weight.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 19 words
A process according to claim 2, wherein the vinyl content is in the range 30 to 60% by weight.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 19 words
A process according to claim 3, wherein the vinyl content is in the range 30 to 60% by weight.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 19 words
A process according to claim 4, wherein the vinyl content is in the range 30 to 60% by weight.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3402159A Cited
US4089913A Cited
GB2071117A Cited
GB2075524A Cited
US4367325A Cited
US4397994A Cited
EP0054911A1 Cited
US4433109A Cited
US4396743A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1989-03-17 1989-09-16 1990-03-18 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1993-03-17 1993-09-16 1994-03-18 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1997-03-17 1997-09-16 1998-03-18 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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