NR-silica nano-composites for improved bonding in truck/bus tread
by Tom Rosenmayer and Brian O’Connell, Silpara Technologies LLC, and Howard Colvin, Colvin Consulting
Traditional internal mixing techniques for natural rubber (NR) and silica leave room for improvement in achieving good polymer-filler interaction in TBR (truck and bus radial) tread compounds. Internal, solid phase mixing of NR polymer and precipitated silica is complicated by several factors.