Preparation and Performance of High Bio‐Based and Abrasion‐Resistant Tread Rubber Based on Itaconate Rubber

ABSTRACT The itaconate rubber, as a novel bio‐based rubber, holds significance for the sustainable development of synthetic rubber. Guided by the development of tread materials with high bio‐based content and high abrasion resistance, a study was conducted on the formulation of composites based on poly (dibutyl itaconate‐co‐butadiene) (PDBIB). In this paper, based on bio‐based itaconate rubber, bio‐based silica and lignin/zinc oxide (lignin/ZnO) were used to obtain rubber composites with a bio‐based content of 72%. The tensile strength of itaconate rubber composite reinforced by bio‐based silica can reach 18 MPa; lignin/ZnO has a good effect on the aging performance of rubber composites, which results the aging factor being increased from 0.49 to 0.62. In order to further improve its abrasion resistance as a tire, we introduced carbon nanotubes to increase its abrasion resistance by 7%, and analyzed the mechanism for the improvement of its abrasion resistance. In summary, this research provides a comprehensive analysis into the use of itaconate rubber in tread application, resulting in a high bio‐based and abrasion‐resistant tread rubber composite. This work offers strategic insights for the development of bio‐based green tires for New Energy Vehicles.