Effect of Lewis Acid/Base Adducts As a Silanization Catalyst in Rubber Compositions Containing Silica

Silica is well known as an attractive filler for a rubber composition, especially in the field of low rolling resistance tires.  Such compositions, however, have the problems about processability due to their higher viscosity, time-dependent stock property change, and so on.  Controlling the silanization process is considered as one of key factors to solve the problems.  Therefore, the related material technology had been studied; for example, the development of new silane coupling agents, functionalized silica, silica dispersion agents, and so on.

This study has focused on the effective silanization by using Lewis acid/base adducts as the silanization catalyst.  Not only the blending effect of the catalyst for the reaction but also mechanistic study will be discussed in the presentation.