VISCOELASTIC PROPERTIES OF ELASTOMERS AND TIRE WET SKID RESISTANCE

Many studies concerning tire wet skid resistance have been published i n the past, but they have in general involved the use of only a few gr ades of SBR and BR. We have evaluated the British Portable Skid Tester (BPST) wet skid resistance of eighteen sulfur curable polymers which might be used for automobile tires. These results have been analyzed i n relation to the viscoelastic properties of the polymer systems. Anal ysis of wet skid resistance in terms of the peak value of tan delta ov er a prescribed temperature range, designated as T-alpha, and abrasion loss-derived from the theory of rubber friction-was concluded to give a better general relationship for a wide range of polymers.