Abstract: The present invention is directed to a rubber composition comprising: a functionalized elastomer comprising: a polymeric backbone chain derived from a monomer comprising at least one conjugated diene monomer and optionally at least one vinyl aromatic monomer; and a functional group bonded to the backbone chain, the functional group comprising a multidentate ligand capable of complexing with a metal ion; and a metal ion. The invention is further directed to a pneumatic tire comprising the rubber composition.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire having a tread comprising a vulcanizable rubber composition comprising, based on 100 parts by weight of elastomer (phr), (A) from about 50 to about 90 phr of a solution polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber having a glass transition temperature (Tg) ranging from ?65° C. to ?55° C. and functionalized with an alkoxysilane group and at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of primary amines and thiols; (B) from about 50 to about 10 phr of polybutadiene having a cis 1,4 content greater than 95 percent and a Tg ranging from ?80 to ?110° C.; (C) from 30 to 80 phr of a combination of a resin having a Tg of at least 30° C. and an oil, wherein the weight ratio of resin to oil is greater than 1.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a rubber composition comprising: a functionalized elastomer comprising: a polymeric backbone chain derived from a monomer comprising at least one conjugated diene monomer and optionally at least one vinyl aromatic monomer; and a functional group bonded to the backbone chain, the functional group comprising a multidentate ligand capable of complexing with a metal ion; and a metal ion. The invention is further directed to a pneumatic tire comprising the rubber composition.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a functionalized elastomer comprising the reaction product of a living anionic elastomeric polymer and a polymerization terminator of formula I wherein R1 is C1 to C4 linear or branched alkanediyl; Z is R2, —OR3, or —R4—X; R2, R3 are independently C1 to C18 linear or branched alkyl; R4 is C1 to C18 alkanediyl; X is halogen or a group of structure II, III, IV, V or VI wherein R5, R6, R7, R8, and R9 are independently H or C1 to C8 alkyl; R10 is C2 to C8 alkanediyl; R11 and R12 are independently H, aryl or C1 to C8 alkyl; Q is N or a group of structure VII wherein R13 is C1 to C8 alkyl.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a functionalized elastomer comprising the reaction product of a living anionic elastomeric polymer and a polymerization terminator of formula I wherein R1 is C1 to C4 linear or branched alkanediyl; Z is R2, —OR3, or —R4—X; R2, R3 are independently C1 to C18 linear or branched alkyl; R4 is C1 to C18 alkanediyl; X is halogen or a group of structure II, III, IV, V or VI wherein R5, R6, R7, R8, and R9 are independently H or C1 to C8 alkyl; R10 is C2 to C8 alkanediyl; R11 and R12 are independently H, aryl or C1 to C8 alkyl; Q is N or a group of structure VII wherein R13 is C1 to C8 alkyl.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire comprising a ground contacting tread, the tread comprising a rubber composition comprising a solution polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber having a bound styrene content of at least 36 percent by weight and a vinyl 1,2 content of less than 25 percent by weight; optionally, at least one additional diene based rubber; silica; a sulfur donor; a sulfenamide accelerator; at least one secondary accelerator selected from the group consisting of guanidines, dithiocarbamates and thiurams; and an ?,?-bis(N,N?-dihydrocarbylthiocarbamamoyldithio)alkane; wherein the zinc content of the rubber composition is less than 0.5 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of elastomer (phr) as Zn metal.

Abstract: A tire with a rubber containing component compound of a copolymer rubber having pendant hydroxyl groups; and a non-sulfur containing silane.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to pneumatic tire comprising at least one component, the at least one component comprising a rubber composition comprising: at least one diene-based rubber; and from 1 to 50 phr of a particulate polyamide having a particle size of from 0.1 to 1 micron, wherein the particulate polyamide is substantially spherical and wherein the particulate polyamide has a melting temperature greater than 210° C. as measured by ISO 11357.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to pneumatic tire comprising at least one component, the at least one component comprising a rubber composition comprising: at least one diene-based rubber; and from 1 to 50 phr of a particulate polyamide having a particle size of from 0.1 to 1 micron, wherein the particulate polyamide is substantially spherical and wherein the particulate polyamide has a melting temperature greater than 210° C. as measured by ISO 11357.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire comprising a ground contacting tread, the tread comprising a rubber composition comprising a solution polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber having a bound styrene content of at least 36 percent by weight and a vinyl 1,2 content of less than 25 percent by weight; optionally, at least one additional diene based rubber; silica; a sulfur donor; a sulfenamide accelerator; at least one secondary accelerator selected from the group consisting of guanidines, dithiocarbamates and thiurams; and an ?,?-bis(N,N?-dihydrocarbylthiocarbamamoyldithio)alkane; wherein the zinc content of the rubber composition is less than 0.5 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of elastomer (phr) as Zn metal.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of conducting static electricity in a pneumatic tire, comprising the steps of mixing a rubber compound comprising at least one diene based rubber, from 60 to 150 phr of precipitated silica, less than 40 phr of carbon black, and from 1 to 10 phr of carbon nanotubes having a length of at least 5 microns; forming a tire tread from the rubber compound; and including the tire tread in the tire; wherein the volume resistivity of the tire tread is less than 1×109 ohm-cm as measured by ASTM D257-98.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of making a rubber composition, comprising the steps of mixing cellulose fibers and water to form a first mixture; mixing the first mixture with an aqueous diene-based elastomer latex to form a second mixture comprising cellulose fibers, elastomer, and water; and separating the cellulose fibers and elastomer from the water to form a elastomer/cellulose masterbatch.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire comprising a ground contacting tread, the tread comprising a rubber composition comprising from about 60 to about 90 phr of a functionalized solution polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber having a bound styrene content of at least 36 percent by weight, a vinyl 1,2 content of less than 25 percent by weight, and functionalized with an alkoxysilane group and a thiol group; from about 40 to about 10 phr of a high-cis polybutadiene; and from about 50 to about 150 phr of silica.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprising at least one component, the at least one component comprising a rubber composition comprising the rubber composition comprising a diene based elastomer, from 1 to 30 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of diene based elastomer (phr) of cellulose fiber, and from 1 to 20 phr of a substituted polyisoprene comprising units of formula I, wherein —R comprises hydrogen and a substituent group of structure II wherein the number of substituent groups of structure II occurring per substituted polyisoprene molecule ranges from 1 to 5, and the weight average molecular weight of the substituted polyisoprene ranges from 20000 to 30000.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire comprising a ground contacting tread, the tread comprising a rubber composition comprising a solution polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber having a bound styrene content of at least 36 percent by weight and a vinyl 1,2 content of less than 25 percent by weight; optionally, at least one additional diene based rubber; silica; a sulfur donor; a sulfenamide accelerator; at least one secondary accelerator selected from the group consisting of guanidines, dithiocarbamates and thiurams; and an ?,?-bis(N,N?-dihydrocarbylthiocarbamamoyldithio)alkane; wherein the zinc content of the rubber composition is less than 0.5 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of elastomer (phr) as Zn metal.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a tire comprising at least one component comprising (A) a first copolymer rubber comprised of repeat units derived from (1) 10 to 99 weight percent of a conjugated diene monomer which contains from 4 to 8 carbon atoms; (2) 0 to 70 weight percent of a vinyl substituted aromatic monomer; and (3) 1 to 20 weight percent of at least one co-monomer selected from the group consisting of the following general formulas I: wherein R represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group containing from 1 to 8 carbon atoms; wherein R1 represents a saturated alcohol group containing from 1 to 8 carbon atoms; and (B) a second copolymer rubber comprised of repeat units derived from (1) 10 to 99 weight percent of a conjugated diene monomer which contains from 4 to 8 carbon atoms; (2) 0 to 70 weight percent of a vinyl substituted aromatic monomer; and (3) 1 to 20 weight percent of at least one co-monomer selected from the group consisting of the following general formulas I:

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire comprising a ground contacting tread, the tread comprising a rubber composition comprising from 30 to 70 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of s first elastomer (phr) having a glass transition temperature Tg ranging from about ?40° C. to about ?10° C. and a solubility parameter ranging from about 4.1 MPa1/2 to about 4.5 MPa1/2; from 70 to 30 phr of a second elastomer having a Tg ranging from about ?105° C. to about ?30° C. and a solubility parameter ranging from about 3.7 MPa1/2 to about 4.1 MPa1/2; from 1 to 40 phr of a first plasticizer having a solubility parameter ranging from 3.4 MPa1/2 to 3.8 MPa1/2; from 1 to 20 phr of a second plasticizer having a solubility parameter ranging from 4.3 MPa1/2 to 4.7 MPa1/2; and from 30 to 150 phr of silica.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire comprising at least one component, the at least one component comprising a rubber composition comprising a diene based elastomer, from 1 to 30 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of diene based elastomer (phr) of cellulose fiber, and from 1 to 20 phr of a substituted polyisoprene comprising units of formula I, wherein —R comprises hydrogen and one substituent group of structure II wherein the number of substituent groups of structure II occurring per substituted polyisoprene molecule ranges from 8 to 12, and the weight average molecular weight of the substituted polyisoprene ranges from 20000 to 30000.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire having a rubber sidewall including (A) 30 to 80 phr of natural rubber; (B) 20 to 70 phr of cis 1,4-polybutadiene rubber; (C) from 10 to 100 phr of silica; and (D) from 1 to 30 phr of a particulate rubber gel filler selected from the group consisting of polybutadiene gel, styrene butadiene gel, acrylonitrile-butadiene gel, chloroprene gel, natural rubber gel, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire comprising a ground contacting tread, the ground contacting tread comprising a rubber composition, the rubber composition comprising a diene based elastomer, from 60 to 120 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of elastomer (phr) of silica, from 1 to 10 phr of a sulfur-containing organosilicon compound, and from 1 to 5 phr of a self condensing resin derived from monomers of formula I wherein R1 is an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, and each of R2 to R6 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, —CH2OH, and —CH2OR1 wherein R1 is as previously described; provided that at least one of R2 to R6 is hydrogen, and at least one of R2 to R6 is —CH2OH.