Biodiesel as a Plasticizer of a SBR-Based Tire Tread Formulation

Abstract

The solubility parameter of a series of methyl esters of fatty acids, the components of biodiesel, was calculated using the group incremental method proposed by Van Krevelen. The solubility parameter of biodiesel was compared with that of a series of rubbers like EPDM, butyl rubber, polyisoprene, polybutadiene, SBR (with different content of styrene), and nitrile rubber (with different content of acrylonitrile) showing that biodiesel is an effective solvent of all the above mentioned rubbers with the exclusion of nitrile rubber. Indeed, it was experimentally verified that polyisoprene, polybutadiene and SBR are easily soluble in biodiesel while polystyrene gives a cloudy solution. Considerations on the solubility parameter of the biodiesel and of a series of rubbers have led to the conclusion that biodiesel behaves essentially as an internal lubricant in a diene rubber matrix, the same situation occurs with the common aromatic mineral oil plasticizer known as T-RAE. The experimental evaluation of biodiesel as plasticizer in an SBR-based rubber compound in comparison to an aromatic mineral oil have led to the primary conclusion that biodiesel is reactive with the sulphur curing agent subtracting sulphur to the crosslinking polymer chains and leading to a vulcanizatewith lower moduli, tensile and hardness and higher elongationsin comparison to a reference compound fully plasticized with an aromatic mineral oil. However, biodiesel seems a good low temperature plasticizer because the low elastic modulus observed is desired in a winter tire tread for a good grip on snow and ice. The present work is only an exploratory work, and the tire tread formulation with biodiesel was not optimized.

Chemical Thermodynamics Applied to the Diels–Alder Reaction of C60Fullerene with Polyacenes

“…Furthermore, the not easily accessible value for the DG f (C 60 gas) D C3497 kJ/mol was also estimated (23). Other successful application of the group increment approach was linked to the calculation of the solubility parameter of fullerenes (28) and other molecules (29) or the thermodynamic evidence of the fullerene solubility in fats (30). Furthermore, the group increment approach was successfully used in the study of unsaturated rubber protection from ozone (31a) and on the calculation of the decomposition enthalpy of ozonides (31b, 31c).…”

Correlation and prediction of biodiesel density for extended ranges of temperature and pressure

“…(20) are 236 MPa and 274 MPa for rapseed and soybean fuels. For rapeseed biodiesel Zhang et al [74] and Cataldo et al [75] refer p coh = 308 MPa and p coh = 277 MPa, respectively. Therefore, the internal pressure of biodiesel fuel is of the same magnitude order as the cohesion pressure, meaning that it behaves as non-associated liquid without strong molecular interactions.…”

Effect of Vegetable Oils as Processing Aids in SBR Compounds

“…However, because of their increasing availability and competitive price, they could be used as a plasticizer and lubricant for rubber and plastics compounding. [9][10] Castor oil contains high proportion of ricinoleic acid with considerable amounts of linoleic, oleic, stearic and plamitic acids. Jatropha oil consists mainly of linoleic, oleic and palmitic acids with minor components of stearic and palmitoleic acids.…”