Electrically conductive rubber composition and article of manufacture, including tire, having component thereof

Claim 2

A tire having at least one component of comprised of an electrically conductive rubber composition having a volume resistivity, when cured, within a range of about 0.5 to about 10 ohm-cm, which is essentially free of oil, wherein said uncured rubber composition is comprised of, based on 100 phr of rubber, (A) about 50 to about 95 phr of at least one solid rubber, (B) about 5 to about 50 phr of a liquid rubber having a molecular weight within a range of 10,000 to 50,000 selected from at least one of (1) liquid polyisoprene liquid rubber, and (2) isobutylene-based liquid rubber, and (C) about 10 to about 160 phr of at least one carbon black having an Iodine value (ASTMD1510) within a range of 900 to 1400 g/kg and a DBP value (ASTMD2414) within a range of 300 to 500 cm 3 /100 g; wherein said solid rubber is comprised of: (A) at least one of synthetic cis 1,4-polyisoprene and tin coupled synthetic cis 1,4-polyisoprene; (B) at least one of homopolymers and copolymers of isoprene and 1,3-butadiene and copolymers of at least one of isoprene and 1,3-butadiene with styrene, or (C) copolymer of isobutylene and from 2 to 8 weight percent of isoprene, said isobutylene copolymer halogenated with bromine; wherein said rubber composition is prepared by mixing said rubber composition in at least one sequential mixing step in an internal rubber mixer with at least one rotary mixing blade, in the absence of sulfur and peroxide curatives; wherein for each mixing step, the composition is mixed to a temperature in a range of about 150° C. to about 180° C. and to a mixing torque which is within 50 percent of the minimum mixing torque experienced subsequent to the maximum mixing torque for mixing the rubber composition; followed by mixing sulfur and/or peroxide curative with said rubber composition for about 1 to about 4 minutes to a temperature in a range of about 95° C. to about 120° C., and wherein said carbon black is less than homogeneously mixed in said rubber composition.

Claim 3

A tire having at least one component as an assembly comprised of an electrically conductive rubber composition which physically and -electrically connects portions of at least one electrically-conductive element with said rubber composition, wherein said rubber composition has a having a volume resistivity, when cured, within a range of about 0.5 to about 10 ohm-cm, which is essentially free of oil, wherein said uncured rubber composition is comprised of, based on 100 phr of rubber, (A) about 50 to about 95 phr of at least one solid rubber, (B) about 5 to about 50 phr of a liquid rubber having a molecular weight within a range of 10,000 to 50.000 selected from at least one of (1) liquid polyisoprene liquid rubber, and (2) isobutylene-based liquid rubber, and (C) about 10 to about 160 phr of at least one carbon black having an Iodine value (ASTMD1510) within a range of 900 to 1400 g/kg and a DBP value (ASTMD2414) within a range of 300 to 500 cm 3 /100 g; wherein said solid rubber is comprised of (A) at least one of synthetic cis 1,4-polyisoprene and tin coupled synthetic cis 1,4-polyisoprene; (B) at least one of homopolymers and copolymers of isoprene and 1,3-butadiene and copolymers of at least one of isoprene and 1,3-butadiene with styrene, or (C) copolymer of isobutylene and from 2 to 8 weight percent of isoprene, said isobutylene copolymer halogenated with bromine; wherein said rubber composition is prepared by mixing said rubber composition in at least one sequential mixing step in an internal rubber mixer with at least one rotary mixing blade, in the absence of sulfur and peroxide curatives; wherein for each mixing step the composition is mixed to a temperature in a range of about 150° C. to about 180° C. and to a mixing torque which is within 50 percent of the minimum mixing torque experienced subsequent to the maximum mixing torque for mixing the rubber composition; followed by mixing sulfur and/or peroxide curative with said rubber composition for about 1 to 4 minutes to a temperature in a range of about 95° C. to about 120° C., and wherein said carbon black is less than homogeneously sly mixed in said rubber composition.

Claim 4

A tire having at least one component as an assembly comprised of an electrically conductive rubber composition which physically and -electrically connects portions of at least one electrically-conductive element with said rubber composition, wherein said rubber composition has a having a volume resistivity, when cured, within a range of about 0.5 to about 10 ohm-cm, which is essentially free of oil, wherein said uncured rubber composition is comprised of, based on 100 phr of rubber, (A) about 50 to about 95 phr of at least one solid rubber, (B) about 5 to about 50 phr of a liquid rubber having a molecular weight within a range of 10,000 to 50.000 selected from at least one of (1) liquid polyisoprene liquid rubber, and (2) isobutylene-based liquid rubber, and (C) about 10 to about 160 phr of at least one carbon black having an Iodine value (ASTMD1510) within a range of 900 to 1400 g/kg and a DBP value (ASTMD2414) within a range of 300 to 500 cm 3 /100 g; wherein said solid rubber is comprised of (A) at least one of synthetic cis 1,4-polyisoprene and tin coupled synthetic cis 1,4-polyisoprene; (B) at least one of homopolymers and copolymers of isoprene and 1,3-butadiene and copolymers of at least one of isoprene and 1,3-butadiene with styrene, or (C) copolymer of isobutylene and from 2 to 8 weight percent of isoprene, said isobutylene copolymer halogenated with bromine; wherein said rubber composition is prepared by mixing said rubber composition in at least one sequential mixing step in an internal rubber mixer with at least one rotary mixing blade, in the absence of sulfur and peroxide curatives; wherein for each mixing step the composition is mixed to a temperature in a range of about 150° C. to about 180° C. and to a mixing torque which is within 50 percent of the minimum mixing torque experienced subsequent to the maximum mixing torque for mixing the rubber composition; followed by mixing sulfur and/or peroxide curative with said rubber composition for about 1 to 4 minutes to a temperature in a range of about 95° C. to about 120° C., and wherein said carbon black is less than homogeneously sly mixed in said rubber composition.

Claim 5

The tire of claim 1 wherein, for the preparation of the rubber composition, said rotary mixing blade is operated at a substantially constant speed.

Claim 6

The tire of claim 1 wherein said solid rubber is selected from at least one of synthetic cis 1,4-polyisoprene and tin coupled cis 1,4-polyisoprene, so long as the rubber composition, when cured, has a volume resistivity within a range of 0.5 to 500 ohm-cm.

Claim 7

The tire of claim 1 wherein said solid rubber is said copolymer of isobutylene and isoprene, so long as the rubber composition, when cured, has a volume resistivity within a range of 0.5 to 500 ohm-cm.

Claim 8

The tire of claim 2 wherein said electrically conductive element is a metallic element.

Claim 9

The tire of claim 2 wherein, for the preparation of the rubber composition, said rotary mixing blade is operated at a substantially constant speed.

Claim 10

The tire of claim 2 wherein said solid rubber is selected from at least one of synthetic cis 1,4-polyisoprene and tin coupled cis 1,4-polyisoprene, so long as the rubber composition, when cured, has a volume resistivity within a range of 0.5 to 500 ohm-cm.

Claim 11

The tire of claim 2 wherein said solid rubber is said copolymer of isobutylene and isoprene, so long as the rubber composition, when cured, has a volume resistivity within a range of 0.5 to 500 ohm-cm.