• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.223-233
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• 2021

In this study, epoxidized liquid isoprene rubber (E-LqIR) was used as a processing aid in a silica-filled natural rubber compound to improve the fuel efficiency, abrasion resistance, and oil migration problems of truck and bus radial tire tread. The wear resistance, fuel efficiency, and extraction resistance of the compound were evaluated according to the molecular weight of E-LqIR. Results of the evaluation showed that the E-LqIR compound had a lower chemical crosslink density than that of a treated distillate aromatic extract (TDAE) oil compound because of the sulfur consumption of E-LqIR. However, the filler-rubber interaction improved because of the reaction of E-LqIR with silica and crosslink with the base rubber by sulfur. As the molecular weight of E-LqIR increased, crosslink with sulfur was facilitated, and the filler-rubber interaction improved, resulting in improved abrasion resistance. The fuel efficiency performance of the E-LqIR compound was poorer than that of the TDAE oil compound because of the low chemical crosslink density and hysteresis loss at the free chain end of E-LqIR. However, the fuel efficiency performance improved as the molecular weight of E-LqIR increased.