Rubber Nanocomposites with Nano-Scale Phase Structures and Kinetically Inhibited Filler Flocculation for Enhanced Integrated Performances via Reactive Multiblock Copolymer Incorporation

Solution-polymerized styrene–butadiene rubber (SSBR) is commonly used as rubber tread stock for high wet-skid resistance, but SSBR suffers from shortcomings including high rolling resistance, unsatisfied abrasion resistance, and fatigue resistance, which triggers great research efforts in pursuing tread stock with balanced performances. Herein, a facile strategy was proposed through introducing novel trans-1,4-poly(butadiene-co-isoprene) rubber (TBIR) into silica-filled SSBR composites. The filler networks and rubber phase structures of SSBR/TBIR blends were investigated in detail. It was found out that TBIR was responsible for the depression of filler flocculation during annealing and vulcanization processes, which will contribute to the improvements of filler dispersion status in SSBR/TBIR vulcanizates. The covulcanization and compatibility of the two domains in SSBR/TBIR blends were also investigated. Consequently, the resultant SSBR/TBIR vulcanizates exhibit excellent integrated properties. Furthermore, a possible mechanism analysis is proposed to illustrate the contribution of TBIR.