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 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 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: Rubbery polymers can be formed having the general formula: R1R2N—(CH2)n—X—CH2—CHR3R4 wherein R1 and R2 are independently selected from a group consisting of alkyls, cycloalkyls, alkenyls, cycloalkenyls, aryls, phenyls, heterocycles, acyls, and silanes, or R1 in combination with R2 forms a heterocyclic ring; n is an integer from 1 to 20; X is selected from a group consisting of sulfur, a phosphorus moiety, and a silicon moiety; R3 and R4 are one of hydrogen, alkyls, alkenyls, and at least one of which includes reactive unsaturation such as an alkenyl group. Moreover, this invention discloses a process of making functionalized rubbery polymers from the functionalized monomers.

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: Rubbery polymers can be formed having the general formula: R1R2N—(CH2)n—X—CH2—CHR3R4 wherein R1 and R2 are independently selected from a group consisting of alkyls, cycloalkyls, alkenyls, cycloalkenyls, aryls, phenyls, heterocycles, acyls, and silanes, or R1 in combination with R2 forms a heterocyclic ring; n is an integer from 1 to 20; X is selected from a group consisting of sulfur, a phosphorus moiety, and a silicon moiety; R3 and R4 are one of hydrogen, alkyls, alkenyls, and at least one of which includes reactive unsaturation such as an alkenyl group. Moreover, this invention discloses a process of making functionalized rubbery polymers from the functionalized monomers.

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.

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: This invention relates to a rubber composition which contains a dispersion of a particulate hydrophilic water absorbing polymer and tire with a tread thereof.

Abstract: This invention relates to the preparation of silica-rich rubber compositions which contain silica reinforcement and silica coupler together with a specified combination of zinc oxide and long chain (fatty) carboxylic acid such as stearic acid. The silica, silica coupling agent, zinc oxide and stearic acid are combined in a manner to form a complex network. The silica is a precipitated silica in a form of silica aggregates which contain hydroxyl groups on its surface. A preferred silica coupling agent is a bis (3-trialkoxysilylalkyl) polysulfide which contains an average of from 2 to about 4, preferably from 2 to about 2.6, connecting sulfur atoms in its polysulfidic bridge. The invention further relates to tires having a component thereof such as, for example, a tread.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tire having at least one component comprised of a rubber composition which contains a hydrophobated, pre-silanized silica, namely a pre-silanized silica hydrophobated with an epoxidized soybean oil and/or epoxidized rubber tree seed oil in situ within said rubber composition. Such tire component may be, for example although not limited to, a tire tread, sidewall and/or sidewall insert.

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 comprised of a rubber composition which contains a hydrophobated, pre-silanized silica, namely a pre-silanized silica hydrophobated with an epoxidized soybean oil and/or epoxidized rubber tree seed oil in situ within said rubber composition. Such tire component may be, for example although not limited to, a tire tread, sidewall and/or sidewall insert.

Abstract: This invention discloses a process for synthesizing an amine functionalized monomer that comprises (1) reacting a secondary amine with a 2,3-dihalopropene to produce a vinyl halide containing secondary amine having a structural formula selected from the group consisting of wherein R and R? can be the same or different and represent allyl, alkoxyl or alkyl groups containing from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms, and wherein X represents a halogen atom, and wherein m represents an integer from 4 to about 10, and wherein X represents a halogen atom; and (2) reacting the vinyl halide containing secondary amine with a vinyl magnesium halide to produce the monomer having a structural wherein R and R? can be the same or different and represent alkyl, allyl or alkoxyl groups containing from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms, and wherein m represents an integer from about 4 to about 10.

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: 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.

Abstract: A simple method of handling thermomechanical coupling for temperature computation in a rolling tire. First, the sensitivity of the tire elastic response to changes in material stiffness is characterized using the “deformation index”. Then, using a commercial finite element program and an appropriate user subroutine, heat generation is expressed as a function of the local temperature using a simple algebraic expression involving the temperature dependent material properties and the deformation indices. Temperatures are computed using the finite element program with the coupling information contained in the user subroutine. The result is a non-iterative method for a fully-coupled thermomechanical analysis of a tire. The effects of compound changes on tire temperature distribution can also be estimated using the deformation index. The method applies to the energy loss and temperature calculations under both steady-state and transient conditions.

Abstract: A simple method of handling thermomechanical coupling for temperature computation in a rolling tire. First, the sensitivity of the tire elastic response to changes in material stiffness is characterized using the “deformation index”. Then, using a commercial finite element program and an appropriate user subroutine, heat generation is expressed as a function of the local temperature using a simple algebraic expression involving the temperature dependent material properties and the deformation indices. Temperatures are computed using the finite element program with the coupling information contained in the user subroutine. The result is a non-iterative method for a fully-coupled thermomechanical analysis of a tire. The effects of compound changes on tire temperature distribution can also be estimated using the deformation index. The method applies to the energy loss and temperature calculations under both steady-state and transient conditions.