Abstract: The present invention provides a vulcanizable elastomer composition comprising 100 parts by weight of an elastomer; about 5 to about 80 parts by weight of reinforcing filler, per 100 parts of the elastomer, including a starch/emulsion styrene butadiene copolymer; about 1 to about 6 parts by weight of a coupling agent, per 100 parts of the elastomer, said coupling agent having a moiety reactive with the hydroxyl groups of the starch/emulsion styrene butadiene copolymer and a second moiety reactive with said elastomer; about 40 to about 115 parts of an additional reinforcing filler, per 100 parts of the elastomer, wherein said filler is selected from the group consisting of carbon black, silica and mixtures thereof; and about 0.2 to about 5 parts of a curing agent, per 100 parts of the elastomer. A process is also provided for the preparation of a vulcanized elastomer composition according to the present invention.

Abstract: An improved method for achieving enhanced bond strength between components of unvulcanized and at least partially vulcanized rubber the improvement comprising the steps of selecting first and second initially unvulcanized rubber components (10, 12) for the manufacture of a vulcanized rubber article (21); applying an interphase layer (11) of rubber material, essentially devoid of crosslinking agents and containing from about 0.