In recent, due to intensified environmental regulation and the rapid change in the automobile industry such as an electric vehicle, tire tread composites are encountering a considerable challenge to meet various performances simultaneously; not only wet traction, dry stability, snow traction, rolling resistance, but also enhanced wear resistance with minimizing trade-off. Silica-based elastomer composite is the most commonly used material for fabricating a high-performance tire tread part with essential requirements for wet traction and rolling resistance. However, as is well known, it has a threshold of wear resistance owing to trade-off nature. In this study, we investigated the possibility of application to high-loading silica-based elastomer composite using various nanomaterials such as single-wall and multi-wall carbon nanotubes and graphenes without any pre-treatment of nanomaterials itself. As a result, a multi-wall carbon nanotube with a rough-surface was a very suitable and effective material than other nanomaterials when considering comprehensive tire performances and viability toward industry. Furthermore, the application of the combination with rough-surface multi-wall carbon nanotube and soybean oil to high-loading silica-based elastomer composite was taken as remarkable results for enhanced tire performances simultaneously, with minimizing trade-off of other performances. The result of the practical tire test was improved wet braking and dry braking, advantageous snow traction with a similar level of rolling resistance compared to the present silica-based composite. Moreover, wear resistance was a largely enhanced result with maintaining a commercial level of other properties without the trade-off as much as possible. This might be attributed to the fact that the wet traction and dry stability was enhanced by carbon nanotube, and snow traction and wear resistance was complemented by soybean oil. Herein, we could get over the previous technical limits for silica-based composite and have a valuable tool to meet recent fastidious requirements for a high-performance tire by adding rough-surface carbon nanotube and soybean oil to the high loading silica-based elastomer composite. Hence, carbon nanotube/soybean oil-based composite would likely be a very useful and practical technique regarding high loading silica-based elastomer composite.
최근 탄소 배출량 제한 환경 제도 도입과 전기차와 같은 자동차 산업의 큰 변화로 인해, 타이어에 요구되는 여러 성능들에 대해 트레이드오프 되는 기술의 제한성을 최소화하여 동시에 만족시킬 수 있는 고성능 타이어용 고함량 실리카 복합체 소재 기술이 필요한 상황이다. 이에 따라, 최근에는 탄소 나노튜브 및 그래핀과 같은 나노물질을 타이어용 실리카 복합체에 응용하는 다양한 연구들이 활발히 진행되고 있다. 본 학위 논문에서는 표면이 거친 다중벽 탄소 나노튜브와 콩기름을 고함량 실리카 복합체의 소재로 조합하여 내마모성을 크게 향상시켰으며, 동시에 젖은 노면 및 눈길 제동성, 핸들링 안정성과 구름저항을 동시에 만족시키는 연구에 대하여 기술하고 있다.
