Sustainable tire waste aerogel with tunable flexibility made from recycled tires for automotive applications

Abstract

A method of manufacturing an elastic polymer aerogel material includes dissolving tire waste, the tire waste including natural rubber, synthetic polymers, steel, fillers, and curing systems, in a solvent to form a first mixture and dissolving a polymer having at least one double carbon-carbon bond in the solvent to form a second mixture. The first mixture and the second mixture are combined, wherein the tire waste reacts with the polymer having at least one double carbon-carbon bond to form a reactant gel. The reactant gel undergoes a solvent exchange followed by freeze drying to form the elastic polymer aerogel material, wherein the elastic polymer aerogel material defines a 3D porous structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing an elastic polymer aerogel material, the method comprising:
 dissolving tire waste, the tire waste comprising natural rubber, synthetic polymers, steel, fillers, and curing systems, in a solvent to form a first mixture;   dissolving a polymer having at least one double carbon-carbon bond in the solvent to form a second mixture;   combining the first mixture and the second mixture, wherein the tire waste reacts with the polymer having at least one double carbon-carbon bond to form a reactant gel; and   undergoing a solvent exchange on the reactant gel followed by freeze drying the reactant gel to form the elastic polymer aerogel material,   wherein the elastic polymer aerogel material defines a 3D porous structure.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the reactant gel is spun into nanofibers before undergoing the solvent exchange. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising adding a filler material into the second mixture to form a filler-reinforced elastic polymer aerogel material. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the reactant gel comprises disulfide crosslinks generated by oxidation in the combining step. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the reactant gel comprises sulfide crosslinks generated by a thiol-ene reaction in the combining step. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a degree of polymerization of the reactant gel is controlled to modify a flexural modulus of the 3D porous structure. 
     
     
         7 . An elastic polymer aerogel material formed by a process of:
 dissolving tire waste, the tire waste comprising natural rubber, synthetic polymers, steel, textiles, fillers, and curing systems, in a solvent to form a first mixture;   dissolving a polymer having at least one double carbon-carbon bond in the solvent to form a second mixture;   combining the first mixture and the second mixture, wherein the tire waste reacts with the polymer having at least one double carbon-carbon bond to form a reactant gel; and   undergoing a solvent exchange on the reactant gel followed by freeze drying the reactant gel to form the elastic polymer aerogel material,   wherein the elastic polymer aerogel material defines a 3D porous structure.   
     
     
         8 . The elastic polymer aerogel material according to  claim 7 , further comprising a filler material. 
     
     
         9 . The elastic polymer aerogel material according to  claim 8 , wherein the filler material is nano silicon. 
     
     
         10 . The elastic polymer aerogel material according to  claim 8 , wherein the filler material is selected from the group consisting of nanotubes and nano fibers. 
     
     
         11 . The elastic polymer aerogel material according to  claim 8 , wherein the filler material is selected from the group consisting of graphite and carbon black. 
     
     
         12 . The elastic polymer aerogel material according to  claim 7 , wherein the 3D porous structure has a porosity greater than 70%. 
     
     
         13 . The elastic polymer aerogel material according to  claim 7 , wherein the 3D porous structure has a density between about 0.02 g/cm 3  to about 0.30 g/cm 3 . 
     
     
         14 . The elastic polymer aerogel material according to  claim 7 , wherein the 3D porous structure has a thermal conductivity between about 0.02 W/mK to about 0.10 W/mK. 
     
     
         15 . A part for a motor vehicle comprising the elastic polymer aerogel material according to  claim 7 . 
     
     
         16 . An elastic polymer aerogel material formed by a process of:
 dissolving tire waste, the tire waste comprising natural rubber, synthetic polymers, steel, textiles, fillers, and curing systems, in a solvent to form a first mixture;   dissolving a polymer having at least one double carbon-carbon bond in the solvent to form a second mixture;   adding a filler material into the second mixture;   combining the first mixture and the second mixture, wherein the tire waste reacts with the polymer having at least one double carbon-carbon bond to form a reactant gel; and   undergoing a solvent exchange on the reactant gel followed by freeze drying the reactant gel to form the elastic polymer aerogel material,   wherein the elastic polymer aerogel material defines a 3D porous structure.   
     
     
         17 . The elastic polymer aerogel material according to  claim 16 , wherein the filler material is nano silicon. 
     
     
         18 . The elastic polymer aerogel material according to  claim 16 , wherein the filler material is selected from the group consisting of nanotubes and nano fibers. 
     
     
         19 . The elastic polymer aerogel material according to  claim 16 , wherein the filler material is selected from the group consisting of graphite and carbon black. 
     
     
         20 . The elastic polymer aerogel material according to  claim 15 , wherein the filler material is in an amount greater than about 70% by weight.