Abstract: It has been found that a pneumatic tire comprising non-ground contacting tire components each independently formed from a rubber composition comprising greater than 89% sustainable material content can be manufactured. In one scenario the pneumatic tire is comprised of bio-renewable organic materials, wherein the bio-based content of the organic materials is verifiable, and wherein radiocarbon 14C dating according to ASTM method D6866 shows the level of bio-based content of the organic materials to be at least 40%. In a preferred embodiment the tire has an RFID tag affixed to the innerliner of the tire, wherein the RFID tag designates the level of bio-renewable organic materials in the tire.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprising non-ground contacting tire components each independently formed from a rubber composition comprising greater than 89% sustainable material content.

Abstract: A method of forming a tire-forming additive includes converting biomass to syngas; synthesizing at least one of benzene and an alkyl-substituted benzene, from carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the syngas; synthesizing at least one of aniline and an alkyl-substituted aniline from the at least one of the benzene and the alkyl-substituted benzene; and synthesizing a tire-forming additive from the at least one of the aniline and the alkyl-substituted aniline, the tire-forming additive being selected from the group consisting of an anti-degradant, a vulcanization accelerator, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: A method of forming a tire-forming additive includes converting shredded tires/tire components to syngas; synthesizing at least one of benzene and an alkyl-substituted benzene, from carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the syngas; synthesizing at least one of aniline and an alkyl-substituted aniline from the at least one of the benzene and the alkyl-substituted benzene; and synthesizing a tire-forming additive from the at least one of the aniline and the alkyl-substituted aniline, the tire-forming additive being selected from the group consisting of an anti-degradant, a vulcanization accelerator, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: A preparation method of itaconate-butadiene bio-based engineering rubber belongs to the bio-based engineering rubber area. The bio-based engineering rubber of the present disclosure is formed through chemical crosslinking of copolymers, which are formed by polymerization of itaconate and butadiene emulsion. The number average molecular weight of the itaconate-butadiene copolymer is about 53000-1640000, and weight-average molecular weight is about 110000-2892000. Itaconate-butadiene copolymers are formed by polymerization of itaconate and butadiene emulsion, then and chemical crosslinking of the copolymer is performed to form bio-based engineering rubber using a traditional sulfur vulcanizing system. The bio-based engineering rubber has high molecular weights as well as lower glass-transition temperatures and can be vulcanized using the traditional sulfur vulcanizing system.

Abstract: This invention is based upon the unexpected discovery that rice husk ash silica (synthetic amorphous silica from rice husk ash) provides an exceptionally good combination of properties when used in certain tire tread rubber formulations, such as an excellent combination of traction, tread-wear, and rolling resistance. These tread rubber formulations are comprised of a blend of high cis-1,4-polybutadiene rubber and a solution styrene-butadiene rubber which is preferably functionalized with amine groups, siloxy groups, thiol groups, carboxyl groups, or groups that are reactive with hydroxyl groups present on the precipitated rice husk ash silica. The use of such rice husk silica as a reinforcing-filler in rubber formulations is also highly desirable because such silica is a sustainable resource (bio-renewable) which is derived from an agricultural waste material which would otherwise be discarded as an undesirable waste product.

Abstract: The subject invention is directed towards tire components comprising rubber compositions comprising (1) about 2 phr to about 45 phr of a trans-1,4-isoprene-butadiene copolymer which has about 4 weight percent to about 16 weight percent butadiene repeat units and from about 84 weight percent to about 96 weight percent isoprene repeat units, wherein the trans-1,4-isoprene-butadiene copolymer has a Mooney ML 1+4 viscosity which is within the range of about 35 to about 80; and (2) about 55 phr to about 98 phr of at least one other elastomer, preferably a diene based elastomer. The most preferred tire components are those which contain cord reinforcements and require adequate green strength to enhance the tire building and shaping process to maintain cord integrity in the final cured tire.

Abstract: A preparation method of itaconate-butadiene bio-based engineering rubber belongs to the bio-based engineering rubber area. The bio-based engineering rubber of the present disclosure is formed through chemical crosslinking of copolymers, which are formed by polymerization of itaconate and butadiene emulsion. The number average molecular weight of the itaconate-butadiene copolymer is about 53000-1640000, and weight-average molecular weight is about 110000-2892000. Itaconate-butadiene copolymers are formed by polymerization of itaconate and butadiene emulsion, then and chemical crosslinking of the copolymer is performed to form bio-based engineering rubber using a traditional sulfur vulcanizing system. The bio-based engineering rubber of the present disclosure has high molecular weights as well as lower glass-transition temperatures and can be vulcanized using the traditional sulfur vulcanizing system.

Abstract: The subject invention is directed towards tire components which are comprised of rubber compositions which are comprised of (1) about 2 phr to about 45 phr of a trans-1,4-isoprene-butadiene copolymer which has about 4 weight percent to about 16 weight percent butadiene repeat units and from about 84 weight percent to about 96 weight percent isoprene repeat units, wherein the trans-1,4-isoprene-butadiene copolymer has a Mooney ML 1+4 viscosity which is within the range of about 35 to about 80; and (2) about 55 phr to about 98 phr of at least one other elastomer, preferably a diene based elastomer. The most preferred tire components are those which contain cord reinforcements and require adequate green strength to enhance the tire building and shaping process to maintain cord integrity in the final cured tire.

Abstract: The subject invention is directed towards tire components which are comprised of rubber compositions which are comprised of (1) about 2 phr to about 45 phr of a trans-1,4-isoprene-butadiene copolymer which has about 4 weight percent to about 16 weight percent butadiene repeat units and from about 84 weight percent to about 96 weight percent isoprene repeat units, wherein the trans-1,4-isoprene-butadiene copolymer has a Mooney ML 1+4 viscosity which is within the range of about 35 to about 80; and (2) about 55 phr to about 98 phr of at least one other elastomer, preferably a diene based elastomer. The most preferred tire components are those which contain cord reinforcements and require adequate green strength to enhance the tire building and shaping process to maintain cord integrity in the final cured tire.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tire having a tread of a cured rubber composition which contains dual silica moieties in a sense of containing both hydrophilic precipitated silica and in situ hydrophobated precipitated silica.

Abstract: A tire is provided having a component comprised of a rubber composition containing at least one conjugated diene-based elastomer and a combination of rubber reinforcing fillers composed of rubber reinforcing carbon black, precipitated silica and granular functionalized mineral comprised of at least one of aluminum hydrate (ALOOH) and titanium dioxide. The granular mineral is functionalized by pretreatment with a coupling agent. The granular mineral fillers are pretreated with a coupling agent to promote a combination of rubber reinforcing effect for the mineral fillers and to promote a hydrophobation of the mineral fillers to promote their dispersability in the rubber composition.

Abstract: This invention relates to a precipitated silica reinforced conjugated diene-based elastomer composition containing an alkoxysilane coupled, in-chain functionalized, conjugated diene-based elastomer and to a tire having at least one component thereof. Said in-chain functionalized conjugated diene-based elastomer is a conjugated diene-based elastomer which contains a plurality of at least one of in-chain p- and m-(2-pyrrolidinoethyl) styrene (PES) and m-(2-pyrrolidino-1-methylethyl) alpha-methylstyrene (PAMS) groups.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tire having a lug and groove configured rubber tread having an outer rubber cap layer with a running surface and an underlying specialized transition rubber layer. The transition rubber layer is specialized in a sense of containing at least one of partially depolymerized rubber, particulate pre-cured rubber and coal dust. The outer tread cap layer is comprised of ground-contacting tread lugs with the tread running surface and associated tread grooves positioned between said tread lugs. The tread grooves may extend radially inward through the outer tread cap layer and, optionally, into the transition tread layer. The rubber tread configuration may also optionally also include a tread base rubber layer underlying the transition rubber layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tire having a circumferential tread of a cap/base configuration composed of an outer tread rubber cap layer with a running surface of the tread and an underlying tread rubber base layer, wherein said tread cap layer is composed of two longitudinal adjacent zones, namely a primary tread cap zone and a minor lateral outboard control element (zone). The primary tread cap zone and the lateral outboard tread cap element provide a significant gradation of cold dynamic storage moduli (G?) at ?25° C. and hot tan delta values at 100° C., yet similar warm dynamic storage moduli (G?) at 60° C. The primary tread cap zone and lateral outboard control tread cap element are load bearing in the sense of extending from the running surface of the tread radially inward to the unitary (non-zoned) tread base rubber layer. The zoned rubber tread cap layer and unitary rubber tread base layer are an integral tread composite in a sense of being co-extruded.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tire having at least one component of a rubber composition comprised of at least one conjugated diene-based elastomer which contains silica reinforcement together with use of a combination of coupling agents for the silica. The coupling agent combination is comprised of blocked alkoxyorganomercaptosilane and unblocked alkoxyorganomercaptosilane coupling agents. Such tire component may be, for example, a tire tread.

Abstract: This invention relates to the preparation of silica-containing rubber compositions which contain precipitated silica reinforcement and use of an oligomeric organomercaptosilane coupling agent containing a plurality of mercapto and silane moieties, and a minimal content, if any, of ethoxy groups and is thus substantially free of ethoxy groups. The interaction of the plurality of mercapto moieties, or groups, of such oligomeric organomercaptosilane with the diene-based elastomer can promote a significant viscosity build up of the uncured rubber composition in a preliminary non-productive mixing stage and therefore present significant rubber processing difficulties during the mixing of the rubber composition. A challenge is therefore presented for reducing such viscosity buildup for such uncured silica-containing rubber composition.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tire having a tread of a cured rubber composition which contains dual silica moieties in a sense of containing both hydrophilic precipitated silica and in situ hydrophobated precipitated silica.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tire having a tread of a cured rubber composition which contains dual silica moieties in a sense of containing both hydrophilic precipitated silica and in situ hydrophobated precipitated silica.

Abstract: This invention relates to the preparation of a cis 1,4-polyisoprene rubber-rich rubber composition containing precipitated silica which has been pre-treated with a fatty alcohol and/or epoxidized soybean oil together with an organosilane containing polysulfide coupling agent and to tires having at least one component comprised of such rubber composition.