Abstract: A pneumatic tire having a pair of annular bead areas (12), a pair of sidewalls, and a crown portion wherein a carcass ply (22) wraps around a radial inner side (RSj,2o) of each bead ring (20), for each bead area (12) a first layer of rubber material (30) is arranged radially inward from both the bead ring radial inner side (RSi,2o) and the carcass ply (22) and a second layer of rubber material (40) is arranged radially inward from the first layer of rubber material (30), each of the first layer of rubber material (30) and the second layer of rubber material (40) extending substantially across a full width (W20) of the corresponding bead ring (20), each of the first and second layer of rubber material (30, 40) having a modulus of elongation, where the modulus of elongation of the second layer of rubber material (40) is equal to or greater than substantially 125% of the modulus of elongation of the first layer of rubber material (30).

Abstract: A pneumatic tire having a pair of annular bead areas (12), a pair of sidewalls, and a crown portion wherein a carcass ply (22) wraps around a radial inner side (RSj,2o) of each bead ring (20), for each bead area (12) a first layer of rubber material (30) is arranged radially inward from both the bead ring radial inner side (RSi,2o) and the carcass ply (22) and a second layer of rubber material (40) is arranged radially inward from the first layer of rubber material (30), each of the first layer of rubber material (30) and the second layer of rubber material (40) extending substantially across a full width (W20) of the corresponding bead ring (20), each of the first and second layer of rubber material (30, 40) having a modulus of elongation, where the modulus of elongation of the second layer of rubber material (40) is equal to or greater than substantially 125% of the modulus of elongation of the first layer of rubber material (30).

Abstract: A tire having a toe guard formed of a rubber composition having between 40 phr and 70 phr of natural rubber and between 30 phr and 60 phr of a synthetic rubber component. The synthetic rubber component may be selected from the group consisting of a polybutadiene rubber (BR), a styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), a polyisoprene rubber (IR) and combinations thereof but includes an amount of BR that is between 25 wt % and 100 wt % of the total weight of the synthetic rubber component. The rubber composition further includes a reinforcing filler, a methylene donor and a methylene acceptor reinforcing resin system and a sulfur curing system having a ratio by weight of the sulfur to one or more accelerators that is less than 1.

Abstract: A tire tread manufactured at least in part from a rubber composition that is based upon a cross-linkable elastomer composition comprising between 80 phr and 100 phr of a polybutadiene-based elastomer modified with a functional group that is capable of interacting with a silica reinforcing filler, wherein a polybutadiene portion of the polybutadiene-based elastomer has between 8 wt % and 15 wt % vinyl units, wherein the polybutadiene-based elastomer includes at least 30 mol % trans-bonds, and wherein the polybutadiene-based elastomer has a glass transition temperature of between ?100° C. and ?80° C. Such rubber composition is cured with a peroxide curing agent and includes an organosilane coupling agent having in some embodiments no or little sulfur content.

Abstract: A tread for a tire manufactured from a rubber composition that is based upon a cross-linkable elastomer composition that includes 100 phr of two elastomer types including at least 50 phr of a styrene-butadiene copolymer (SBR) with a polybutadiene (BR) as the remainder. Such compositions may further include between 90 phr and 150 phr of silica filler with an organosilane coupling agent having in some embodiments no or little sulfur content. A plasticizing system includes a high Tg plasticizing resin and may include a plasticizing liquid. The plasticizing system is added in an effective amount to provide the cured rubber composition with a shear modulus G* measured at 60° C. of between 0.6 MPa and 1.5 MPa and a measured Tg of between ?30° C. and 0° C. The elastomer composition is cured with a peroxide curing system.

Abstract: Applications of barrier coating mixtures containing in a carrier liquid, (a) an elastomeric (preferably butyl-containing) polymer; (b) a dispersed exfoliated layered filler having an aspect ratio greater than 25; and (c) at least one surfactant, wherein the solids content of the mixture is less than 30% and the ratio of polymer (a) to filler (b) is between 20:1 and 1:1 include coated articles, which are elastomeric, e.g., sports balls and inflatable articles. Methods of manufacturing such coated products are also encompassed.

Abstract: Barrier coating mixtures contain in a carrier liquid, (a) an elastomeric (preferably butyl-containing) polymer; (b) a dispersed exfoliated layered filler having an aspect ratio greater than 25; and (c) at least one surfactant, wherein the solids content of the mixture is less than 30% and the ratio of polymer (a) to filler (b) is between 20:1 and 1:1. Coated articles, which are rigid or flexible and elastomeric, and free-standing films and membranes, which are flexible and elastomeric, are produced using the barrier coating mixtures.