Use of fullerene carbon in curable rubber compounds

摘要

This invention relates to curable rubber compositions containing a fullerene form of carbon which is used as a reinforcing agent in the rubber compositions, the fullerene form of carbon being used in place of at least a portion of, or in addition to, the normally used forms of carbon black reinforcement additives. The invention particularly relates to tires having treads composed of such rubber composition(s). The fullerenes may optionally have surface modifications such as partial or complete hydrogen or functional group substitution. The fullerene form of non-conventional carbon reinforcement of rubber composition(s) may exist as discrete particles, aggregates of particles and/or agglomerates. The carbon fullerene has a lower specific gravity than conventional carbon black, thereby allowing a reduced weight tire or other article made from the rubber compound(s) for comparable volumes of carbon black used.