A New Carbon Black-Rubber Coupling Agent to Improve Wet Grip and Rolling Resistance of Tires

The compound p-aminobenzenesulfonyl azide was developed as a new type of carbon black to rubber coupling agent. Its addition to rubber compounds increases resilience and moduli while reducing abrasion loss. The behavior of this coupling agent is confirmed by the dynamic mechanical response of the vulcanizates—the rubber Tg is shifted to higher temperatures. Rubber compositions containing this coupling agent may be used in tire treads to reduce rolling resistance and improve wet skid resistance. These attributes were estimated from dynamic property measurements.