Functionalized Emulsion Styrene-Butadiene Rubber Containing Diethylaminoethyl Methacrylate for Silica Filled Compounds

In this study, diethylaminoethyl methacrylate-styrene-butadiene terpolymer (DEAEMA-SBR), in which diethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DEAEMA) was introduced to the SBR molecule as a third monomer, was synthesized by cold emulsion polymerization. It is expected that amine group introduced to a rubber molecule would improve dispersion of silica by the formation of hydrogen bond (or ionic coupling) between the amine group and silanol groups of silica surface. The chemical structure of DEAEMA-SBR was analyzed using proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Then, various properties of DEAEMA-SBR/silica composite such as crosslink density, bound rubber content, abrasion resistance, and mechanical properties were evaluated. As a result, bound rubber content and crosslink density of DEAEMA-SBR/silica compound were higher than those of the SBR 1721 composite. Abrasion resistance and moduli at 300% elongation of the DEAEMA-SBR/silica composite were better than those of SBR 1721 composite due to the high bound rubber content and crosslink density. These results are attributed to high affinity between DEAEMA-SBR and silica. The proposed study suggests that DEAEMA-SBR can help to improve mechanical properties and abrasion resistance of the tire tread part.