Abstract: A method of durably assembling a rubber part and a thermoplastic elastomer part into a composite structure is proposed. The method may comprise providing a first part comprising curable rubber and a second part made of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) material, mediating an adhesive affinity on the at least one of the first and second parts for the other one of the at least two parts, bringing the first and second parts into contact with each other so as to form a composite structure and heat-treating the composite structure to durably bond the first part to the second part. The adhesive affinity may be mediated through adhesive, such as e.g., RFL or neoalkoxy zirconate/titanate adhesive) applied on the at least one of the first and second parts or though additives, e.g., neoalkoxy zirconate/titanate, in the rubber part.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention relates to a method of assembling a rubber part and a thermoplastic part into a composite structure. The method comprises providing a rubber part having a surface, providing the thermoplastic part having a surface comprising a plasma polymerized coating comprising a carbon-carbon double bond, applying a rubber adhesive on the coating. The method further comprises bringing the rubber part surface and the thermoplastic part surface with the rubber adhesive into contact so as to form a composite structure and heat-treating the composite structure to bond the rubber part to the thermoplastic part. A further aspect of the present invention relates to a method for producing a non-pneumatic tire having the rubber part and the thermoplastic part.

Abstract: One aspect of this invention involves a process for producing a non-pneumatic tire comprising a structure and a shear band, said process comprising providing a structure comprising a thermoplastic material having a surface intended to be brought into contact with a shear band; pretreating the surface of the structure to obtain a pretreated surface; providing an atmospheric pressure plasma generated from a gas mixture; depositing a plasma polymerized coating layer from the atmospheric pressure plasma on the pretreated surface to produce a structure with a coated surface comprising a plasma polymerized coating layer; providing a shear band with a layer of rubber material and contacting the coated surface of the structure with said layer of rubber material; and co-vulcanizing the coated surface of the structure with the layer of rubber material of the shear band.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a plasma cord coating device comprising a pair of opposite and parallel plate electrodes having a first electrode and a second electrode, a pair of planar and parallel dielectric barriers including a first dielectric barrier, and a second dielectric barrier, wherein the first electrode is covered by the first dielectric barrier on a side facing the second electrode and the second electrode is covered by the second dielectric barrier on a side facing the first electrode to form a gap between the first and the second dielectric barriers. This device includes a first foil which extends through the gap and covers the first dielectric barrier and a second foil which extends through the gap and covers the second dielectric barrier to form a plasma treatment zone between the first foil and the second foil.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of making a cord-reinforced rubber article, comprising the steps of A) mixing a carrier gas, a sulfur-containing compound and an alkyne, to form a gas mixture; B) generating an atmospheric pressure plasma from the gas mixture; C) exposing a reinforcement cord to the atmospheric pressure plasma to produce a coated reinforcement cord; and D) contacting the coated reinforcement cord with a rubber composition comprising a diene based elastomer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to A method of making a cord-reinforced rubber article, comprising the steps of A) mixing a carrier gas, sulfur and an alkyne, to form a gas mixture; B) generating an atmospheric pressure plasma from the gas mixture; C) exposing a reinforcement cord to the atmospheric pressure plasma to produce a coated reinforcement cord; and D) contacting the coated reinforcement cord with a rubber composition comprising a diene based elastomer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of making a cord-reinforced rubber article, comprising the steps of A) mixing a carrier gas, sulfur and an alkyne, to form a gas mixture; B) generating an atmospheric pressure plasma from the gas mixture; C) exposing a steel reinforcement cord to the atmospheric pressure plasma to produce a treated reinforcement cord; and D) contacting the treated steel reinforcement cord with a rubber composition comprising a diene based elastomer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of making a cord-reinforced rubber article, comprising the steps of A) mixing a carrier gas, a sulfur-containing compound and an alkyne, to form a gas mixture; B) generating an atmospheric pressure plasma from the gas mixture; C) exposing a reinforcement cord to the atmospheric pressure plasma to produce a treated reinforcement cord; and D) contacting the treated reinforcement cord with a rubber composition comprising a diene based elastomer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of making a cord-reinforced rubber article, comprising the steps of (A) atomizing a mixture of a halogenated hydrocarbon, a carrier gas, and at least one member of the group consisting of hydrocarbon sulfides and polymerizable monomers, to form an atomized mixture; (B) generating an atmospheric pressure plasma from the atomized mixture; (C) exposing a reinforcement cord to the atmospheric pressure plasma to produce a treated reinforcement cord; and (D) contacting the treated reinforcement cord with a rubber composition comprising a diene based elastomer and at least one member of the group consisting of methylene donors and methylene acceptors.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of treating a reinforcement cord, comprising the steps of (A) atomizing a mixture of at least one hydrocarbon sulfide, a low viscosity organic solvent, and a carrier gas to form an atomized mixture; (B) generating an atmospheric pressure plasma from the atomized mixture; and (C) exposing the reinforcement cord to the atmospheric pressure plasma under conditions suitable to form a polymer strongly bonded to the reinforcement cord and capable of bonding to rubber.

Abstract: The invention relates to functionalization of diene-based elastomers with end-chain or in-chain functional groups to promote good dispersion of graphene and carbon nanotubes, and enhance strong interaction between elastomers and graphene and carbon nanotubes. This invention also relates to preparation of rubber reinforced with at least one of graphene and carbon nanotubes with functionalized diene-based elastomer and tire with component thereof.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of treating a reinforcement cord, comprising the steps of A) atomizing a mixture of at least one polymerizable monomer, a halogenated saturated hydrocarbon, and a carrier gas to form an atomized mixture; B) generating an atmospheric pressure plasma from the atomized mixture; and C) exposing the reinforcement cord to the atmospheric pressure plasma under conditions suitable to form a polymer strongly bonded to the reinforcement cord and capable of bonding to rubber.

Abstract: The invention relates to preparation of rubber reinforced with at least one of graphene and carbon nanotubes with specialized coupling agent and tire with component thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to preparation of rubber reinforced with at least one of graphene and carbon nanotubes with specialized coupling agent and tire with component thereof.

Abstract: A method forms an adhesion joint between a cord and a rubber matrix. The method includes the steps of: providing a cord having an initial relatively smooth surface; texturing the smooth surface such that the resulting surface is rougher than the initial surface of the cord; depositing a uniform polymer coating on to the textured surface of the cord by plasma polymerization of an organic precursor and an air plasma; and inserting the cord into a rubber matrix such that the resulting surface provides enhanced adhesion to the rubber matrix compared to the adhesion of the initial surface to the rubber matrix or adhesion of the textured surface to rubber matrix.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of treating a reinforcement cord, comprising the steps of (A) atomizing a mixture of at least one hydrocarbon sulfide, a low viscosity organic solvent, and a carrier gas to form an atomized mixture; (B) generating an atmospheric pressure plasma from the atomized mixture; and (C) exposing the reinforcement cord to the atmospheric pressure plasma under conditions suitable to form a polymer strongly bonded to the reinforcement cord and capable of bonding to rubber.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of making a cord-reinforced rubber article, comprising the steps of (A) atomizing a mixture of a halogenated hydrocarbon, a carrier gas, and at least one member of the group consisting of hydrocarbon sulfides and polymerizable monomers, to form an atomized mixture; (B) generating an atmospheric pressure plasma from the atomized mixture; (C) exposing a reinforcement cord to the atmospheric pressure plasma to produce a treated reinforcement cord; and (D) contacting the treated reinforcement cord with a rubber composition comprising a diene based elastomer and at least one member of the group consisting of methylene donors and methylene acceptors.

Abstract: This invention relates to preparation of a metal mold surface for molding rubber products by plasma jet directed polymer coating, a coated mold for rubber products and production of rubber products. Such rubber products are rubber tires and industrial products, particularly rubber tires.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of treating a reinforcement cord, comprising the steps of A) atomizing a mixture of at least one polymerizable monomer, a halogenated saturated hydrocarbon, and a carrier gas to form an atomized mixture; B) generating an atmospheric pressure plasma from the atomized mixture; and C) exposing the reinforcement cord to the atmospheric pressure plasma under conditions suitable to form a polymer strongly bonded to the tire cord and capable of bonding to rubber.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprising a tire component having a plurality of individually plasma treated cords applied individually to the tire component, wherein the plasma treated cords comprise a plasma generated deposition derived from at least one polymerizable monomer.