JP2005344039A - Modified diene polymer rubber, its manufacturing method and rubber composition - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a modified diene polymer rubber excellent in resilience and fuel consumption savings. <P>SOLUTION: The modified diene polymer rubber is obtained by reacting an active conjugated diene polymer having an alkali metal terminal obtained by polymerizing a conjugated diene monomer or a conjugated diene monomer and an aromatic vinyl monomer in a hydrocarbon solvent with the use of an alkali metal catalyst with a coupling agent (a) of a silicon or tin compound represented by the formula: RcMXd (wherein R is an alkyl group or the like; M is silicon or the like; X is a halogen; c is an integer of 0-2; and d is an integer of 2-4) and a modifying compound A (b) represented by formula (1) (wherein R<SB>1</SB>to R<SB>3</SB>are each an alkyl group; R<SB>4</SB>to R<SB>9</SB>are each an alkoxy group or an alkyl group; and l to n are each an integer) or the modifying compound (b). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a modified diene polymer rubber, a method for producing the same, and a rubber composition. More specifically, the present invention relates to a modified diene polymer rubber excellent in rebound resilience, and thus excellent in fuel efficiency, a method for producing the same, and a rubber composition using the polymer rubber.

  As a rubber for automobile tires, a styrene-butadiene copolymer obtained by an emulsion polymerization method is known. However, since the rebound resilience of the copolymer is inferior, the automobile tire made of the copolymer has a problem that it does not have excellent fuel economy.

  As an attempt to obtain a rubber having excellent rebound resilience, Patent Document 1 includes butadiene and styrene, an organolithium compound as a polymerization initiator, and a Lewis base such as ether as a microstructure modifier. A method of copolymerizing in a hydrocarbon solvent is disclosed.

  In Comparative Example 1 of the present application, a modified diene polymer rubber is obtained using a specific acrylamide. However, in Patent Document 2, a specific acrylamide is reacted with an alkali metal terminal of the diene polymer rubber. A method for obtaining a modified diene copolymer rubber having improved rebound resilience has been proposed.

JP-A-60-72907 Japanese Patent No. 2540901

  However, in recent years, demands for fuel economy of automobile tires have become more advanced against the background of environmental considerations, and the above-described polymer rubber cannot sufficiently meet this demand.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a modified diene polymer rubber having excellent rebound resilience, a method for producing the same, and a rubber composition using the modified diene polymer rubber.

（（１）式中、Ｒ₁〜Ｒ₃は独立に炭素数が１〜８のアルキル基を表し、Ｒ₄〜Ｒ₉は独立に炭素数が１〜８のアルコキシ基又はアルキル基を表し、ｌ〜ｎは独立に１〜８の整数を表わす。）
また、本発明のうち第二の発明は、炭化水素溶媒中において、共役ジエンモノマー又は共役ジエンモノマーと芳香族ビニルモノマーとをアルカリ金属系触媒を用いて重合させることにより得られるアルカリ金属末端を有する活性共役ジエン系重合体に対して、上記の一般式 ＲcＭＸdで表わされるケイ素又はスズ化合物のカップリング剤、次いで上記一般式（１）で示される変性化合物Ａを反応させるか又は、上記一般式（１）で示される変性化合物Ａを反応させる変性ジエン系重合体ゴムの製造方法に係るものである。
また、本発明のうち第三の発明は、前記の変性ジエン系重合体ゴムを、ゴム成分中１０重量％以上含有するゴム組成物に係るものである。 That is, the first invention of the present invention has an alkali metal terminal obtained by polymerizing a conjugated diene monomer or a conjugated diene monomer and an aromatic vinyl monomer using an alkali metal catalyst in a hydrocarbon solvent. The present invention relates to a modified diene polymer rubber obtained by reacting the following (a) and (b) or (b) with an active conjugated diene polymer.
(A): General formula RcMXd (wherein R represents an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, a cycloalkenyl group or an aromatic hydrocarbon group, M represents a silicon or tin atom, X represents a halogen atom, c represents A silicon or tin compound coupling agent represented by (b) a modified compound A represented by the following general formula (1):

(In formula (1), R _{1 to} R ₃ independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, R _{4 to} R ₉ independently represent an alkoxy group or alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, l to n independently represent an integer of 1 to 8.)
The second invention of the present invention has an alkali metal terminal obtained by polymerizing a conjugated diene monomer or a conjugated diene monomer and an aromatic vinyl monomer using an alkali metal catalyst in a hydrocarbon solvent. The active conjugated diene polymer is reacted with a coupling agent of a silicon or tin compound represented by the above general formula RcMXd and then the modified compound A represented by the above general formula (1), or the above general formula ( This relates to a method for producing a modified diene polymer rubber in which the modifying compound A represented by 1) is reacted.
A third invention of the present invention relates to a rubber composition containing the modified diene polymer rubber in an amount of 10% by weight or more in the rubber component.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a modified diene polymer rubber excellent in rebound resilience, and thus excellent in fuel economy, a method for producing the same, and a rubber composition using the polymer rubber.

The modified diene polymer rubber of the present invention has an activity having an alkali metal terminal obtained by polymerizing a conjugated diene monomer or a conjugated diene monomer and an aromatic vinyl monomer using an alkali metal catalyst in a hydrocarbon solvent. A conjugated diene polymer is reacted with a coupling agent of a silicon or tin compound represented by the general formula RcMXd and then the modified compound A represented by the general formula (1), or the following general formula (1 The modified diene polymer rubber obtained by reacting the modified compound A represented by

  Examples of the conjugated diene monomer include 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, 1,3-pentadiene (piperine), 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene, 1,3-hexadiene, and the like. Then, 1,3-butadiene and isoprene are preferred from the viewpoint of the physical properties of the resulting polymer and the availability for industrial implementation.

  Examples of the aromatic vinyl monomer include styrene, α-methylstyrene, vinyl toluene, vinyl naphthalene, divinyl benzene, trivinyl benzene, divinyl naphthalene and the like. Among these, the physical properties of the resulting polymer, industrial Styrene is preferable from the viewpoint of availability in carrying out.

  The hydrocarbon solvent does not deactivate the alkali metal catalyst, and the suitable hydrocarbon solvent is selected from aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, and alicyclic hydrocarbons, and particularly has 3 to 12 carbon atoms. Propane, n-butane, iso-butane, n-pentane, iso-pentane, n-hexane, cyclohexane, propene, 1-butene, iso-butene, trans-2-butene, cis-2-butene, 1 -Pentene, 2-pentene, 1-hexene, 2-hexene, benzene, toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene and the like. Moreover, these solvents can be used in mixture of 2 or more types.

  Examples of the alkali metal catalyst include metals such as lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and cesium, hydrocarbon compounds containing these metals, and complexes of the metal and polar compounds. Preferred examples of the alkali metal catalyst include lithium or sodium compounds having 2 to 20 carbon atoms. Specific examples thereof include, for example, ethyl lithium, n-propyl lithium, iso-flopyr. Lithium, n-butyl lithium, sec-butyl lithium, t-octyl lithium, n-decyl lithium, phenyl lithium, 2-naphthyl lithium, 2-butyl-phenyl lithium, 4-phenyl-butyl lithium, cyclohexyl lithium 4-cyclopentyl lithium 1,4-dilithio-butene-2, sodium naphthalene, sodium biphenyl, potassium-tetrahydrofuran complex, potassium diethoxyethane complex, sodium salt of α-methylstyrene tetramer, and the like.

（１）式中、Ｒ₁〜Ｒ₃は独立に炭素数が１〜８のアルキル基を表し、Ｒ₄〜Ｒ₉は独立に炭素数が１〜８のアルコキシ基又はアルキル基を表し、ｌ〜ｎは独立に１〜８の整数を表わす。好ましくは、Ｒ₁〜Ｒ₃がメチル基、エチル基、プロピル基又はブチル基であり、Ｒ₄〜Ｒ₉がメトキシ基、エトキシ基、プロポキシ基、又はブトキシ基であり、ｌ〜ｎは２〜５のものである。変性化合物Ａの具体例としては、１，３，５−トリス（３−トリメトキシシリルプロピル）イソシアヌレート、１，３，５−トリス（３−トリエトキシシリルプロピル）イソシアヌレート、１，３，５−トリス（３−トリプロポキシシリルプロピル）イソシアヌレート、１，３，５−トリス（３−トリブトキシシリルプロピル）イソシアヌレート等があげられるが、省燃費性を著しく改良できるという観点から、１，３，５−トリス（３−トリメトキシシリルプロピル）イソシアヌレートが好ましい。 In the present invention, a coupling agent which is a silicon or tin compound represented by the general formula RcMXd is used (wherein R is an alkyl group, alkenyl group, cycloalkenyl group or aromatic hydrocarbon group, and M is silicon or tin). Atom, X represents a halogen atom, c represents an integer of 0 to 2, and d represents an integer of 2 to 4). Tetrachlorosilicon, tetrabromosilicon, methyltrichlorosilicon, butyltrichlorosilicon, dichlorosilicon, bistrichlorosilylsilicon, etc. are used as the silicon compound, and tetrachlorotin, tetrabromotin, methyltrichlorotin, butyltrichloro are used as the tin compounds. Tin, dichlorotin, bistrichlorosilyltin, etc. are used. The coupling agent of the silicon or tin compound is used in the range of 0.01 to 0.4 equivalent of halogen atom with respect to 1 equivalent of the active diene polymer rubber terminal lithium atom. The coupling reaction is not particularly limited, but is usually performed at a temperature in the range of 20 ° C to 100 ° C. Next, or as a modifying compound to be reacted with the active diene polymer rubber used in the present invention, a modifying compound A represented by the following general formula (1) is used.

(1) In formula, R < ₁ > -R < ₃ > represents a C1-C8 alkyl group independently, R < ₄ > -R < ₉ > represents a C1-C8 alkoxy group or alkyl group independently, l -N represents the integer of 1-8 independently. Preferably, R _{1 to} R ₃ are a methyl group, an ethyl group, a propyl group, or a butyl group, R _{4 to} R ₉ are a methoxy group, an ethoxy group, a propoxy group, or a butoxy group, and 1 to n are 2 to 2 Five. Specific examples of the modified compound A include 1,3,5-tris (3-trimethoxysilylpropyl) isocyanurate, 1,3,5-tris (3-triethoxysilylpropyl) isocyanurate, 1,3,5 -Tris (3-tripropoxysilylpropyl) isocyanurate, 1,3,5-tris (3-tributoxysilylpropyl) isocyanurate, and the like. From the viewpoint that fuel economy can be remarkably improved, 1,3 , 5-tris (3-trimethoxysilylpropyl) isocyanurate is preferred.

  The modified diene polymer rubber of the present invention has an activity having an alkali metal terminal obtained by polymerizing a conjugated diene monomer or a conjugated diene monomer and an aromatic vinyl monomer using an alkali metal catalyst in a hydrocarbon solvent. A conjugated diene polymer is reacted with a silicon or tin compound coupling agent represented by the general formula RcMXd and then the modified compound A represented by the general formula (1), or the general formula ( It can be obtained by reacting the modifying compound A represented by 1).

  As the polymerization monomer, only a conjugated diene monomer may be used, or a conjugated diene monomer and an aromatic vinyl monomer may be used in combination. When the conjugated diene monomer and the aromatic vinyl monomer are used in combination, the weight ratio of the conjugated diene monomer / the aromatic vinyl monomer is preferably 50/50 to 90/10, more preferably 55/45 to 85/15. It is. If the ratio is too small, the polymer rubber becomes insoluble in the hydrocarbon solvent, and uniform polymerization may not be possible. On the other hand, if the ratio is too large, the strength of the polymer rubber may decrease.

  In the polymerization, it is possible to use commonly used ones such as alkali metal catalysts, hydrocarbon solvents, randomizers, vinyl bond content regulators of conjugated diene units, and the method for producing the copolymer is particularly Not restricted.

  In order to adjust the vinyl bond content of the conjugated diene part, various compounds can be used as the Lewis basic compound. However, ether compounds or tertiary amines are easily available in industrial implementation. preferable. Examples of ether compounds include cyclic ethers such as tetrahydrofuran, tetrahydropyran, and 1,4-dioxane; aliphatic monoethers such as diethyl ether and dibutyl ether; ethylene glycol dimethyl ether, ethylene glycol diethyl ether, ethylene glycol dibutyl ether, diethylene glycol diethyl ether, Examples thereof include aliphatic ethers such as diethylene glycol dibutyl ether; aromatic ethers such as diphenyl ether and anisole. Examples of tertiary amine compounds include triethylamine, tripropylamine, tributylamine, N, N, N ′, N′-tetramethylethylenediamine, N-diethylaniline, pyridine, quinoline and the like. be able to.

  The amount used when the modified compound A of the present invention is added to the active conjugated diene polymer having an alkali metal terminal is usually 0 per mol of the alkali metal catalyst used when adding the alkali metal. 0.06 to 10 mol, preferably 0.1 to 5 mol. More preferably, it is 0.2-2 mol. If the amount used is too small, the effect of improving fuel economy is small. Conversely, if the amount used is too large, it remains in the polymerization solvent. Therefore, when the solvent is recycled, a separation step from the solvent is required. Etc., not economically desirable.

  Since the reaction between the modifying compound A and the active conjugated diene polymer having an alkali metal terminal occurs rapidly, the reaction temperature and reaction time can be selected in a wide range, but generally room temperature to 100 ° C. for several seconds. Or a few hours. The reaction may be performed by bringing the alkali metal-containing diene polymer and the modified compound A into contact. For example, the alkali compound is used to polymerize the diene polymer, and the modified compound A is added to the polymer solution. A method of adding a predetermined amount can be exemplified as a preferred embodiment, but is not limited to this method.

  Reacting an active conjugated diene copolymer having an alkali metal terminal with a coupling agent of a silicon or tin compound represented by the general formula RaMXb, and then the modifying compound A represented by the general formula (1) Alternatively, by reacting the modifying compound A represented by the general formula (1), the modified diene polymer rubber can be obtained by adding a coagulant from the reaction solvent or by a usual solution polymerization such as steam coagulation. The solidification method used in production is used as it is, and the solidification temperature is not limited at all.

  For drying the crumb separated from the reaction system, a band drier, an extrusion drier or the like used in the production of ordinary synthetic rubber can be used, and the drying temperature is not limited.

  Thus, the modified diene polymer rubber of the present invention is obtained.

The Mooney viscosity (ML _{1 + 4} ) of the modified diene polymer rubber is preferably 10 to 200, more preferably 20 to 150. If the Mooney viscosity is too low, mechanical properties such as the tensile strength of the vulcanizate may decrease. Thus, the mechanical properties of the vulcanizate of the obtained rubber composition may be deteriorated.

  The vinyl bond content in the conjugated diene part of the modified diene polymer rubber is preferably 10 to 70%, more preferably 15 to 65%. If the content is too low, the glass transition temperature of the polymer becomes low, and when used as a polymer for tires, grip performance may be inferior. On the other hand, if the content is excessive, the rubber glass transition of the polymer. The temperature rises and the resilience may be inferior.

  The modified diene polymer rubber of the present invention is a rubber composition containing other rubber components, various additives and the like.

  Other rubber components include emulsion-polymerized styrene-butadiene copolymer rubber, polybutadiene rubber by solution polymerization (anionic polymerization catalyst, ziegler type catalyst), butadiene-isoprene rubber copolymer rubber, styrene-butadiene copolymer rubber, and Natural rubber is included, and one or more of these rubbers are selectively used depending on the purpose. Here, when other rubber components are used, the proportion of the modified diene polymer rubber of the present invention in the total rubber components is preferably 10% by weight or more, more preferably 20% by weight or more. If the proportion of the modified diene polymer rubber of the present invention is too small, the degree of improvement in rebound resilience will be small.

  The additive may be selected from those commonly used in the rubber industry and suitable for the intended use of the rubber composition, and is not particularly limited. Usually, sulfur, stearic acid, zinc white, various vulcanization accelerators (thiazole type, thiuram type, sulfenamide type, etc.) or organic peroxides are used as vulcanizing systems, and HAF, ISAF, etc. are used as reinforcing agents. Various grades of carbon black, silica and the like, calcium carbonate, talc and the like are used as fillers, and extension oils, processing aids, anti-aging agents and the like are used as other additives. The type and amount of these additives are selected according to the purpose of use of the rubber composition and are not particularly limited in the present invention.

  In order to obtain a rubber composition, the rubber component and various additives may be kneaded using a mixer such as a roll or a banbury. The rubber composition is vulcanized and used for use.

  Since the rubber composition of the present invention is excellent in rebound resilience, it can be optimally used for an automobile tire excellent in fuel economy. Further, the rubber composition of the present invention can be used as various industrial raw material rubbers for shoe soles, flooring agents, anti-vibration rubbers and the like.

EXAMPLES The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.
Example 1
A stainless steel polymerization reactor having an internal volume of 20 liters was washed, dried, and substituted with dry nitrogen, and then 1,3-butadiene 1405 g, styrene 395 g, tetrahydrofuran 328 g, hexane 10.2 kg, n-butyllithium (n-hexane solution 12 .8 mmol) was added and polymerization was carried out at 65 ° C. for 3 hours with stirring. After completion of the polymerization, 3.20 mmol (1.70 g) of 1,3,5-tris (3-trimethoxysilylpropyl) isocyanurate was added. After reacting for 30 minutes with stirring, 10 ml of methanol was added, and the mixture was further stirred for 5 minutes. Thereafter, the contents of the polymerization reaction vessel were taken out, 10 g of 2,6-di-t-butyl-p-cresol (Sumitizer BHT manufactured by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.) was added, and most of hexane was evaporated. The polymer rubber was obtained by drying under reduced pressure at 55 ° C. for 12 hours.

Example 2
that the n-hexane solution of n-butyllithium was changed to 11.3 mmol, that silicon tetrachloride was added to 0.23 mmol as a coupling agent, and 1,3,5-tris (3-trimethoxysilylpropyl) A polymer rubber was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the isocyanurate was changed to 5.09 mmol (1.43 g) and added.

Example 3
The n-hexane solution of n-butyllithium was changed to 12.0 mmol, the silicon tetrachloride was changed to 0.24 mmol, and 1,3,5-tris (3-trimethoxysilylpropyl) isocyanurate was changed to 2 Polymer rubber was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the amount was changed to 70 mmol (1.43 g) and added.

Comparative Example 1
The n-butyllithium solution in n-hexane was changed to 8.5 mmol, the silicon tetrachloride was changed to 0.16 mmol, and changed to 1,3,5-tris (3-trimethoxysilylpropyl) isocyanurate. Then, the same procedure as in Example 1 was performed except that N, N-dimethylaminopropylacrylamide was added to 7.65 mmol (1.26 g) to obtain a polymer rubber.

Comparative Example 2
The n-hexane solution of n-butyllithium was changed to 8.7 mmol, the silicon tetrachloride was changed to 0.174 mmol, and 1,3,5-tris (3-trimethoxysilylpropyl) isocyanurate, N , N-dimethylaminopropylacrylamide was added in the same manner as in Example 1 except that no polymer rubber was obtained.

Measurement method The measurement method is as follows.

The Mooney viscosity of the polymer rubber was measured at 100 ° C. according to JIS K-6300.

The vinyl content of the polymer rubber was measured by infrared spectroscopy.

Styrene content of polymer rubber Measured by the refractive index method.

Rebound resilience of vulcanized rubber According to the formulation shown in Table 1, a compounded rubber was obtained by kneading in a lab plast mill, and this was molded into a sheet with a 6-inch roll and then vulcanized at a temperature of 160 ° C. for 45 minutes. Thus, vulcanized rubber was obtained. With respect to the vulcanized rubber, the rebound resilience at 60 ° C. was measured by using a Lüpke regiery tester.

  Table 2 shows the measurement and evaluation results.

* 1: Ultrasil VN3-G (Degussa)
* 2: Si69 (Degussa)
* 3: N-339 (Mitsubishi Carbon Corporation)
* 4: X-140 (Aroma oil manufactured by Kyodo Oil Co., Ltd.)
* 5: Antigen 3C (Anti-aging agent manufactured by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.)
* 6: Soxinol CZ (vulcanization accelerator manufactured by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.)
* 7: Soxinol D (vulcanization accelerator manufactured by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.)
* 8: Sunnock N (made by Ouchi Shinsei Chemical Co., Ltd.)

* 1 Modified compound A1: 1,3,5-tris (3-trimethoxysilylpropyl) isocyanurate B1: N, N-dimethylaminopropylacrylamide

Claims (4)

For an active conjugated diene polymer having an alkali metal terminal obtained by polymerizing a conjugated diene monomer or a conjugated diene monomer and an aromatic vinyl monomer using an alkali metal catalyst in a hydrocarbon solvent, the following: (A) and (b) or the manufacturing method of the modified | denatured diene polymer rubber which makes (b) react.
(A): General formula RcMXd (wherein R represents an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, a cycloalkenyl group or an aromatic hydrocarbon group, M represents a silicon or tin atom, X represents a halogen atom, c represents A silicon or tin compound coupling agent represented by (b) a modified compound A represented by the following general formula (1):

(In formula (1), R _{1 to} R ₃ independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, R _{4 to} R ₉ independently represent an alkoxy group or alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, l to n independently represent an integer of 1 to 8.) A modified diene polymer rubber obtained by the production method according to claim 1. R _{1 to} R ₃ in the modified compound A are a methyl group, an ethyl group, a propyl group, or a butyl group, R _{4 to} R ₉ are a methoxy group, an ethoxy group, a propoxy group, or a butoxy group, and 1 to n are 2 The modified diene polymer rubber according to claim 1, which is ˜5. A rubber composition comprising the modified diene polymer rubber according to claim 2 in an amount of 10% by weight or more in the rubber component.