TIRE CURE BLADDERS CONTAINING POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE POWDERAND USE THEREOF

摘要

Disclosed are expandable bladders for use in curing presses for hydrocarbon rubbers such as pneumatic tires. The bladders are a crosslinked elastomer comprising isobutylene repeat units and the bladder composition includes fluorinated ethylene polymers in particulate form dispersed throughout the bladder. A preferred isobutylene elastomer is a brominated copolymer of from 80 to 99 weight percent isobutylene and from 1 to 20 weight percent p-methylstyrene. The bladders have enhanced lubricity, reduced adhesion to cured tire innerliners, better resistance to cracking during flexing, and have lower tension set. The above enhancements allow hydrocarbon rubbers such as tires to be molded with fewer defects caused by abraded or deformed bladders. They also enhance the useful life of the bladder reducing the cost of tire curing.