Modern tire manufacturing must balance competing performance demands while meeting increasingly stringent efficiency standards. Current passenger vehicle tires contain precise blends of silica fillers with specific surface areas ranging from 60 to over 300 m²/g, interacting with complex rubber matrices to influence critical parameters like rolling resistance, wet grip, and wear characteristics.

The fundamental challenge lies in optimizing silica-rubber interactions at the molecular level while maintaining processability and cost-effectiveness at production scale.

This page brings together solutions from recent research—including dual-silica systems with functionalized and unfunctionalized particles, targeted coupling agent ratios, and rubber modifications that enhance filler dispersion. These and other approaches demonstrate how manufacturers are achieving previously incompatible performance targets through precise control of silica-rubber chemistry.

1. Battery Pack Assembly with Thermal Suppression System Utilizing Multi-Agent Release Mechanism

FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC, 2025

Battery pack assembly with thermal suppression system to mitigate thermal runaway propagation in battery packs. The system uses a container filled with a mixture of agents that gets released during thermal events. The mixture includes sodium silicate, ceramic-based compounds like zirconium dioxide, aluminum oxide, silicon dioxide, melamine poly(zinc phosphate), and aluminum tri-hydrate. The agents help suppress thermal events from spreading through the battery pack by absorbing heat and suppressing chemical reactions.

US2025125450A1-patent-drawing

2. Improving Gr/SiO Negative Electrode Formulations: Effect of Active Material, Binders and Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes

a rock, margret wohlfahrtmehrens, peter axmann - Wiley, 2025

With the growing demand for high‐energy‐density lithium‐ion batteries, SiO has emerged as a promising anode material due to its high specific capacity. However, use entails irreversible losses and mechanical stress. Pre‐lithiated (Li‐SiO) blended with graphite enables electrodes rather low losses, capacity, less such electrode formulations need further research, particularly implementing large‐scale production process. This work deals Gr/SiO negative containing 20 wt‐% in active mass. We investigate effects of different suspension on their rheological properties electrochemical performance electrodes. Our findings prove superior anodes made from Li‐SiO compared pristine SiO. we show that basicity suspensions causes challenges processability. The integration single‐walled carbon nanotubes is shown be essential counteracting adverse enabling enhanced adhesion, reduced stable cycling. A good cell demonstrated much 96.8 % provide insights into correlation between formulation, processability, blends, supporting development industrial‐scale processes.

3. Heat-Conducting Flame-Retardant Composition with Silicon Dioxide, Foaming-Reactant, and Catalyst

G2F TECH CO LTD, 2025

A heat-conducting, flame-retardant material that can be used as a sealing compound for battery cores. The material is a liquid, colloidal, or semi-solid composition containing silicon dioxide, a foaming-reactant, and a catalyst. The silicon dioxide provides initial heat conduction. The foaming-reactant crosslinks and expands when heated, filling gaps and blocking heat transfer. The catalyst triggers the foaming reaction. This material prevents overheating, explosion, and extended combustion in batteries.

US2025109335A1-patent-drawing

4. Rubber Composition with Dual Silica Filler System Featuring Distinct Surface Areas

Bridgestone Europe NV/SA [BE/BE], 2024

Rubber compositions for vehicle tires that balance wet performance, rolling resistance, and wear resistance. The compositions contain a filler system with two different silicas. One is a surface-functionalized silica with specific surface areas of 250-310 m2/g and 230-285 m2/g. The other is an unfunctionalized silica with specific surface areas of 60-120 m2/g and 55-105 m2/g. This blend of silicas improves wet grip, rolling resistance, and wear resistance compared to similar filler systems using only one type of silica.

5. Rubber Mixture Comprising Specific Styrene-Butadiene Rubber, Silica Filler, and Thioacetate or Thiopropyl Silane

Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH, 2024

Rubber mixture for tire treads with improved properties like rolling resistance, grip, and tear resistance. The mixture contains a specific type of styrene-butadiene rubber (SSBR) with a glass transition temperature between -35°C and -85°C. This rubber is combined with silica filler and a specific amount of a silane. The silane has a formula with a thioacetate or thiopropyl group (X) bonded to a silicon atom (Si) and a propyl group (R) with a siloxane (S) bond between them. The silane amount is 1-30 parts per hundred parts of rubber (phr). The mixture can be used in tire treads for vehicles to provide better balance of properties like rolling resistance, grip, and tear resistance compared to conventional tire tread compositions.

US20240294730A1-patent-drawing

6. Rubber Composition with Dual Solution-Polymerized Styrene-Butadiene Rubbers and Dual Silica Fillers for Tire Applications

Apollo Tyres Global R&D B.V., 2024

Rubber composition for tires that provides improved rolling resistance, wet grip, and handling compared to conventional tire rubbers. The composition uses a blend of natural rubber, polybutadiene rubber, and two different solution-polymerized styrene-butadiene rubbers with specific glass transition temperatures. It also contains two silicas with different surface areas, along with coupling agents. The composition enables optimizing winter performance without sacrificing rolling resistance, by balancing silica-filler interactions and silanization. The cross-linkable composition can be used in tire treads, and the cross-linked tire has improved properties like rolling resistance, wet grip, and handling.

US20240287291A1-patent-drawing

7. Tire Rubber Composition with Isoprene-Based and Modified Styrene-Butadiene Rubber, Hydrogenated Resin, Silica, and Carbon Black

BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION, 2024

Tire rubber composition for improved wet grip and fuel efficiency. It contains a specific combination of rubber components, hydrogenated resin, silica, and carbon black. The rubber components are isoprene-based and modified styrene-butadiene rubber with high styrene content (30% or more). The hydrogenated resin has a high softening point (100°C or above) and moderate molecular weight (1200-1600 g/mol). The silica loading is 50-100% of the total filler content. This composition balance provides optimal wet grip and rolling resistance.

US20240287293A1-patent-drawing

8. Rubber Composition for Tire Treads with Specific Diene Rubber, Silica, Silane Coupling Agent, Fatty Acid Metal Salt, and Alkylsilane

The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., 2024

Rubber composition for tire treads that provides a balance of low rolling resistance, good wet traction, and wear resistance. The composition contains specific diene rubber, silica, a silane coupling agent, a fatty acid metal salt, and an alkylsilane. The diene rubber has a high percentage of a specific conjugated diene rubber formed by reacting a siloxane with a diene-based polymer. This improves silica dispersion for rolling resistance. The alkylsilane plasticizer suppresses silica aggregation. The fatty acid salt further aids silica dispersion. The blend ratio of these components provides a balance of rolling resistance, wet traction, and wear resistance.

9. Rubber Compound for Tire Treads with Functionalized Butadiene Rubber and Liquid-Modified Diene Polymer

Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH, 2024

Rubber compound for tire treads that improves wet grip, rolling resistance, and profile stiffness. The compound contains a functionalized butadiene rubber, a liquid-modified diene polymer, a polar filler like silica, and a diene rubber. The functionalized butadiene rubber interacts with the polar filler. The modified diene polymer has a backbone modification that also allows interaction with the polar filler. This filler-rubber interaction improves wet grip and rolling resistance while maintaining stiffness.

10. Tire Rubber Composition with Isoprene Skeleton, Modified Styrene-Butadiene Rubber, Hydrogenated Resin, Silica, and Carbon Black

BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION, 2024

Tire rubber composition that provides improved wet grip and fuel efficiency. The composition contains an isoprene skeleton rubber, a modified styrene-butadiene rubber with 15% or less bound styrene, hydrogenated resin with a softening point over 100°C and Mw of 1200-1600, silica with 50-100% filler content, and carbon black. This balance of components enables optimized wet traction and reduced rolling resistance.

11. Rubber Composition with Modified and Unmodified Styrene-Butadiene Rubbers for Enhanced Filler Dispersion and Performance Balance

BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION, 2024

Rubber composition for tires that balances wet grip, fuel efficiency, and wear resistance. The composition contains a styrene-butadiene rubber (A) with a modified terminal group, and an unmodified styrene-butadiene rubber (B) with a higher glass transition temperature. The modified rubber (A) is produced by modifying an active polymer with a compound containing a silicon atom bonded to an amine group. This improves dispersion of fillers like silica for better wet grip and wear resistance. The unmodified rubber (B) provides the balance of fuel efficiency.

US20240253394A1-patent-drawing

12. Rubber Composition with Modified Styrene-Butadiene Rubber, Silica, Thermoplastic Resin, and Silane Coupling Agent

The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD., 2024

Rubber composition for tires with improved steering stability, wet performance, and low rolling resistance over a wide temperature range. The composition contains specific amounts of modified styrene-butadiene rubber, silica, thermoplastic resin, and a silane coupling agent. The modified styrene-butadiene rubber has a vinyl content of 9-45 mol% and a glass transition temperature of -45°C or lower, with terminal groups containing siloxane or amine functionalities. The composition also has silica, thermoplastic resin, and a silane coupling agent in specific ranges.

13. Tire Tread Rubber Composition with Diene Elastomer, High Surface Area Silica, Microsilica, and Silane Coupling Agent

CIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, 2023

Rubber composition for tire treads that provides improved wet grip and rolling resistance compared to conventional tire rubber compositions. The composition contains a diene elastomer, a high surface area silica (Tl > 100 m2/g) as the main reinforcing filler, a microsilica (T2 < 50 m2/g) as a secondary filler, a silane coupling agent, and a crosslinking system. The microsilica in addition to the high surface area silica enhances wet grip and reduces rolling resistance compared to using just the high surface area silica.

14. Tire Tread Rubber Composition with White Carbon Black, Silica Fume, and High-Temperature Silane Coupling Agent

HANGZHOU HAICHAO RUBBER CO LTD, ZHONGCE RUBBER GROUP CO LTD, 2023

Low-rolling-resistance high-wear resistance tire tread rubber composition that can improve the dispersion of white carbon black in tread rubber and the processability of rubber materials by using white carbon black and silica fume as fillers and selecting a silane coupling agent capable of mixing at high temperature. The composition includes carbon black and white carbon black as fillers, and selecting a silane coupling agent capable of mixing at high temperature.

CN117164972A-patent-drawing

15. Pneumatic Tire Tread Rubber Incorporating Specific Silane Coupling Agent with Defined Alkyl and Alkoxy Groups

2023

Pneumatic tire with improved durability and wear resistance by using a specific silane coupling agent in the tread rubber. The coupling agent is represented by a formula with a specific alkyl group, alkoxy group, and substitution on the silicon atom. This coupling agent provides enhanced durability and wear resistance when used in tire tread rubber containing silica as a reinforcing filler. The formula is: (R1)3Si(OR3)x, where R1 is an alkyl group with 5 to 20 carbon atoms, n is 1 to 3, and x is 1 to 5.

16. Rubber Composition with Isoprene Skeleton, Styrene-Butadiene Rubber, Silica Filler, and Thiol-Group Silane Coupling Agent

BRIDGESTONE CORP, 2023

Rubber composition that is excellent in wet grip performance and low rolling resistance. The composition includes an isoprene skeleton rubber and a styrene-butadiene rubber, the filler contains at least silica, the silane coupling agent has a thiol group, the content of the silane coupling agent is 1 part by mass or more and 10.5 parts by mass or less with respect to 100 parts by mass of the rubber component, and the content of the fatty acid metal salt is 0.1 part by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the rubber component.

17. Tire Tread Composition with Silane-Modified Diene Rubber and Silica Filler for Enhanced Dispersion and Mechanical Properties

GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER, THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER CO, 2023

Tire tread composition with improved properties like reduced rolling resistance, stiffness, and tear without compromising other performance metrics like traction, wear, and tensile strength. The composition uses a specific combination of silane coupling agents along with a diene rubber and silica filler. The silane agents include bis(dialkylalkoxysilyl-alkyl) polysulfide coupling agents. The agents improve silica dispersion and compatibility in the rubber matrix. This leads to better processing, reduced agglomeration, and enhanced rubber properties like hysteresis and stiffness without impacting tear and strength.

18. Rubber Composition for Tire Treads with Silica and White Carbon Black Fillers

Zhengxin Rubber Co., Ltd., CHENG SHIN RUBBER INDUSTRY CO LTD, Zhengxin Rubber (China) Co., Ltd., 2023

Rubber composition for tire treads that improves wet grip and processing while maintaining rolling resistance. The composition contains specific fillers like silica, white carbon black, and silane coupling agent along with other components like butadiene and styrene-butadiene rubbers. The white carbon black R300 improves dispersibility and processing when using high filler loadings like over 60 parts by weight of silica. This allows better wet grip without sacrificing rolling resistance.

19. Rubber Composition with Isoprene and Modified Styrene-Butadiene Rubber and High Silica Content

THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO LTD, 2023

Rubber composition for heavy duty tires with improved wear resistance, fuel efficiency, processability, and tensile strength compared to conventional rubber compositions. The composition contains 60-85% isoprene rubber, 15-40% modified styrene-butadiene rubber with a glass transition temperature below -50°C, and 40 parts or more of silica per 100 parts diene rubber. The isoprene rubber provides wear resistance, the modified styrene-butadiene rubber improves low rolling resistance, and the high silica content enhances wear resistance.

20. Tire Rubber Composition with Aminoguanidine Weak Acid Salt and Particulate Silica

SUMITOMO RUBBER IND LTD, 2023

Tire rubber composition that provides improved fuel efficiency, breaking strength, and abrasion resistance in tires while also having good moldability and vulcanization speed. The composition contains an aminoguanidine weak acid salt like aminoguanidine bicarbonate or aminoguanidine phosphate. This salt improves properties like fuel efficiency when combined with specific amounts of particulate silica. It allows using higher silica loading without delaying vulcanization or degrading dispersion. The composition may also have additional components like styrene-butadiene rubber and plasticizers.

21. Tire Rubber Composition with Silica and Aminoguanidine Weak Acid Salt

22. Rubber Composition with Hydrolysis-Induced Silica-Rubber Bonding for Enhanced Dispersion

23. Pneumatic Tire with Silica-Reinforced Rubber Composition Incorporating Mercapto Silane Coupling Agent

24. Rubber Composition with Silica and Monoalkanolamide for Enhanced Dispersibility and Reduced Rolling Resistance

25. Rubber Composition with Specified Natural Rubber, Silica, Silane Coupling Agent, and Acetylenic Compound for Tires

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