Abstract: The present invention relates to a sulfur cured rubber composition particularly suited for use in tire treads and carcass ply compounds. The sulfur cured rubber composition is composed of, based on 100 parts by weight of rubber, from about 5 to 95 parts by weight of epoxidized rubber; from about 5 to 85 parts of a silica filler; from about 0.5 to 8.5 parts by weight of a silica coupling agent; and 95 to 5 parts by weight of a rubber selected from the group consisting of medium vinyl polybutadiene, styrene-butadiene rubber, synthetic cis-1,4-polyisoprene, synthetic 3,4-polyisoprene, natural rubber, cis-polybutadiene, styrene-isoprene rubber, styrene-isoprene-butadiene rubber, acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a bias pneumatic tire having a belt structure comprising six annular layers. The tire of the present invention has particular utility as an aircraft tire and avoids many of the undesirable stresses/strains resulting from the deformation in the tread areas of the tire.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of terminating a free radical initiated emulsion polymerization by using a shortstopping agent selected from the group consisting of isopropylhydroxylamine and salts thereof. One advantage in using these shortstopping agents is these shortstopping agents do not contribute to the generation of volatile nitrosamines.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of a N-substituted-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine of the formula: ##STR1## comprising reacting (a) a mixture of (1) N-phenyl-p-quinoneimine of the formula: ##STR2## and (2) p-hydroxydiphenylamine in a mole ratio of N-phenyl-p-quinoneimine to p-hydroxydiphenylamine of from 1.5:1 to 1:1.5 with (b) a primary amine of the formula:R.sup.1 --NH.sub.2in the presence of methanol wherein R.sup.1 is selected from the group of radicals consisting of alkyls having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, cycloalkyls having 6 to 8 carbon atoms and radicals of the structural formula: ##STR3## wherein R.sup.2 may be the same or different and is independently selected from the group of radicals consisting of hydrogen and an alkyl having 1 carbon atom, R.sup.3 is selected from the group of radicals consisting of an alkyl having 1 to 12 carbon atoms and n is an integer of from 0 to 6.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polymeric alloys which comprise the reaction product of a mixture of:(a) a polyester resin produced from the precondensation reaction of a diol and a dicarboxylic compound, said polyester subsequently condensed and having an intrinsic viscosity from about 0.13 to about 0.35 dl/g, a glass transition temperature of at least 50.degree. C., an acid number from about 5 to 50;(b) at least one polyepoxide having at least two epoxy groups per molecule; and(c) an unvulcanized rubber.

Abstract: The tire treads are divided circumferentially into first, second, and third zones. The edge between each of the three zones in the tire treads are in the center of an aquachannel. The tires have a tread groove pattern that is asymmetric in character.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sulfur vulcanized rubber composition containing 0.1 to 10.0 phr of an oligomeric maleimide of the formula: ##STR1## or a maleamic acid of the formula: ##STR2## wherein R and R.sup.1 are individually selected from the group of radicals consisting of hydrogen, an alkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a halogen; R.sup.2 is selected from the group of radicals consisting of 1 to 12 carbon atoms; X has a value of from 1 to 146 and n has a value of from 0 to 4.The presence of the maleimide oligomer or maleamic acid improve cord adhesion to the sulfur vulcanized rubber compound.

Abstract: This invention relates to the discovery that bis-(2,5-polythio-1,3,4-thiadiazole) in combination with a bismaleimide compound and a sulfenamide compound provides for excellent vulcanization of rubbers and results in an improved final rubber vulcanizate possessing superior physical properties and reversion resistance.

Abstract: An improved tire/vehicle system for an automotive vehicle has two pneumatic front tires and two pneumatic rear tires. The rear tire treads and the front tire treads and are each divided circumferentially into first, second, and third zones. The edge between the second and third zone in each front tire is in the center of an aquachannel. The edge between each of the three zones in the rear tires are in the center of an aquachannel. Both the front and rear tires have a tread groove pattern that is asymmetric in character.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of N-(hydroxyphenyl)maleamic acid and various dimers and oligomers thereof. The process is characterized by heating, in the absence of any solvent, N-(hydroxyphenyl)maleamic acid at a temperature ranging from about 150.degree. to about 250.degree. C. in the presence of an acid catalyst. This unique process avoids the need to recover expensive highly polar solvents. The present invention also relates to use of these maleimide containing compounds in rubber. The use of the blend of hydroxyphenyl maleimide and the various dimers and low molecular weight oligomers impart superior properties to rubber when compared to the use of hydroxyphenyl maleimide alone in rubber.

Abstract: A polymeric article which is subject to attack by oxygen ozone and/or ultraviolet light is coated with a thin coating of a polymer which is resistant to oxygen, ozone and UV light. It protects the article from cracking or degradation due to any of these causes. The uncoated article serves as a substrate. The substrate may be any polymer which is subject to attach by oxygen, ozone and/or ultraviolet light. A preferred coating is cured from a highly saturated polymer having only a small amount of unsaturation, as for example, hydrogenated nitrile rubber (HNBR, or hydrogenated nitrile/butadiene copolymer), highly saturated styrene/butadiene copolymer, hydrogenated polybutadiene, or hydrogenated styrene/vinylpyridine/butadiene terpolymer. The hydrogenated or highly saturated polymer of the coating is obtained by hydrogenating an unsaturated polymer which is a polymer of 1,3-butadiene (5-100% by weight) and optionally one or more monoethylenically unsaturated polymers (0-95% by weight).

Abstract: Free radically curable rubbers are crosslinked with the aid of a free radical initiator and a co-curing agent, which is an acrylate or methacrylate ester of a hydroxybenzene or hydroxynaphthalene compound containing two or more hydroxyl groups, at least two of which are esterified. The rubbers which are used in the present invention are natural rubber and synthetic rubbers derived from a diene monomer. Preferred co-curing agents are acrylate and methacrylate esters of hydroxybenzene compounds in which the ester contains two or three acrylate or methacrylate groups per molecule. The amount of co-curing agent may be about 1-50 parts by weight per one hundred parts by weight of rubber (phr). Outstanding abrasion resistance and air oven aging are observed.

Abstract: This invention relates to bis-(2,5-polythio-1,3,4-thiadiaxoles), a method for their preparation and their use in rubber compounds. Use of these compounds provide for excellent vulcanization of rubbers and result in an improved final rubber vulcanizate possessing good physical properties.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polymer resulting from the copolymerization of at least three monomers. From about 40 to 84 weight percent of the polymer is derived from a conjugated diolefin, from about 15 to 50 weight percent of the polymer is derived from a vinyl substituted aromatic compound and from about 1 to 8 weight percent of the polymer is derived from an olefinically unsaturated nitrile. These polymers may be added to a tread rubber stock for improved wet traction and improved abrasion resistance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methylol modified bismaleimides which are prepared by reacting under condensation conditions an aldehyde and a bismaleimide compound wherein the aldehyde is selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde or mixtures thereof; andsaid bismaleimide compound is of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R is a divalent radical selected from the group consisting of an acyclic aliphatic group, a cyclic aliphatic group, an aromatic group, and one to three alkylaromatic groups and wherein these groups may contain a hetero atom selected from O, N and S.

Abstract: The high density siping zones reduce rib edge erosion wear by creating a weakened zone without the tendency of tearing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing a rubber containing polymer bound functionalities. The process comprises the emulsion polymerization at a temperature ranging from about 0.degree. C. to about 25.degree. C. of (a) at least one functionalized monomer that contains a polymerizable vinyl group; with (b) at least one copolymerizable conjugated diene monomer selected from the group consisting of butadiene 1,3, 2-chlorobutadiene-1,3, isoprene, piperylene and conjugated hexadienes; wherein the polymerization is conducted in the presence of from (1) from 2 to 30 parts by weight of an ionic surfactant per 100 parts by weight of organic components and (2) about 1 to about 70 parts by weight of a plasticizer based on 100 parts by weight of total monomers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing a masterbatch rubber containing polymer bound functionalized moieties. The process comprises the emulsion polymerization at a temperature from 40.degree. C. to 100.degree. C. of (a) at least one functionalized monomer that contains a polymerizable vinyl group; with (b) at least one copolymerizable conjugated diene monomer selected from the group consisting of butadiene-1,3,2 chlorobutadiene-1,3, isoprene, piperylene and conjugated hexadienes, wherein the polymerization is conducted in the presence of from (1) from 2 to 30 parts by weight of an ionic surfactant per 100 parts by weight of organic components and (2) about 10 to about 70 parts by weight of a plasticizer based on 100 parts by weight of total monomers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a radial pneumatic tire having a contoured zone located in each of the sidewalls of the tire. The contoured zone improves the sidewalls ply durability and decreases upper sidewall circumferential ply-wire breakage, also known as zipper-break.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition which exhibits antiozonant activity in diene containing rubbers comprising the reaction product of a multi-step process comprising:(1) reacting under condensation conditions an aldehyde and an amine containing compound to form a condensation product, whereinsaid aldehyde is selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde or mixtures thereof; andsaid amine containing compound is selected from the group consisting of:N,N'-di-substituted-p-phenylene diamines of the structural formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently selected from the group of radicals consisting of alkyls having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, aryls having 6 to 12 carbon atoms and aralkyls having 7 to 12 carbon atoms; and wherein said condensation conditions include:(i) the presence of an acid catalyst,(ii) a mole ratio of aldehyde to amine containing compound ranging from about 1.