Rubber Additive

VESTENAMER® in tire manufacturing

Adding only a small amount of VESTENAMER® pellets eases the mixing and processing of various tire compounds significantly. VESTENAMER® also improves the dispersion of difficult polymer blends as it reduces the viscosity of the compound and can act as a compatibilizer between less or incompatible rubber types. At the same time, it has no negative effect on the dynamic properties of the vulcanizate. The abrasion resistance or aging properties undergo little to no change and can even be improved. In addition, the reversion of NR rubbers at high vulcanization temperatures is reduced.

COMPOUNDS FOR RIM STRIPS

Extreme hardness, exceptional abrasion resistance, and very low compression are the key requirements for compounds for rim strips. VESTENAMER® increases the processability of the rubber compound, because the viscosity at mixing temperature is reduced and therefore prevents “bagging” on the rolling mill. The homogeneity of such hard-to-process blends is also improved by using VESTENAMER®. The increased green strength at room temperature further prevents deformation of thin strips.

Compounds for the tread area

Advanced high-performance tires require outstanding rolling performance (low rolling resistance) and excellent wet traction without affecting abrasion resistance. This can be achieved only by using highly active fillers such as carbon black and especially precipitated silicas. Particularly when it comes to mixtures with high filler concentrations, a multi-stage mixing process is required in order to obtain a good dispersion. As a dispersion aid, VESTENAMER® can significantly shorten mixing cycles and, at the same time, optimize batch consistency during production. In combination with low compound viscosity and a 'wetting' effect on aggregates, using VESTENAMER® can also reduce the number of mixing steps in the process, saving time and energy. In addition, VESTENAMER® usually reduces swelling behavior at the exit point of the nozzle, along with the melt temperature, which increases the output of extruded compounds.

Compounds for bead and bead core

The obviously poor processability of extremely hard bead mixtures can be significantly improved by adding VESTENAMER®. The result is a higher output but also improved dimensional stability. This and a high dynamic module are the key advantages of using VESTENAMER® for bead and bead core.