Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire having a circumferentially extending equatorial plane of the tire, the tire comprising a carcass, a tread radially outward of the carcass, the carcass comprising a carcass reinforcing ply, opposing bead portions, and opposing sidewalls, the carcass reinforcing ply having a main portion extending between the opposing bead portions and a pair of turnup portions, each turnup portion extending from one end of the main portion, the carcass ply further comprising reinforcing cords and a plycoat; each bead portion having a bead core and a bead apex, each apex being in contact with the plycoat; the plycoat comprising a vulcanizable plycoat rubber composition comprising a first methylene acceptor; the apex comprising a vulcanizable apex rubber composition comprising a second methylene acceptor and a methylene donor, wherein the amount of methylene donor is in stoichiometric excess relative to the second methylene acceptor.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an article of manufacture having a wire-reinforced component comprising (A) a metallic wire; and (B) a rubber composition contacting the wire, the rubber composition comprising (1) a diene based elastomer; and (2) a tin(II) carboxylate salt.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire comprising a tread, the tread comprising a rubber composition comprising from 20 to 90 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of rubber (phr) of solution polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber, from 10 to 80 phr of polybutadiene rubber, wherein from 0 to 20 weight percent of the polybutadiene rubber is a syndiotactic polybutadiene rubber comprising at least 70 percent of monomeric units in syndiotactic 1,2 configuration and the balance of the polybutadiene rubber comprises at least 90 percent of monomeric units in cis-1,4 configuration; and from 50 to 150 phr of pre-hydrophobated precipitated silica wherein the pre-hydrophobated precipitated silica is hydrophobated prior to its addition to the rubber composition by treatment with at least one silane selected from the group consisting of alkylsilanes, alkoxysilanes, organoalkoxysilyl polysulfides and organomercaptoalkoxysilanes.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire comprising a carcass and an innerliner in direct contact with the carcass, the innerliner comprising a rubber composition comprising: at least one elastomer selected from the group consisting of butyl rubber, chlorinated butyl rubber, brominated butyl rubber, synthetic polyisoprene, natural rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, polybutadiene, copolymer of isobutylene and paramethylstyrene, and brominated copolymer of isobutylene and paramethylstyrene; epichlorohydrin rubber; and at least one delaminated talc having a BET surface area according to DIN 66131 of 10-40 m2/g, an average particle size (D50) of 4-8 microns, determined by laser diffraction measurement, and a lamellarity index of 3-15.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a pneumatic tire having a tread comprising a vulcanizable rubber composition comprising, (A) 10 to 40 phr of a polybutadiene rubber having a microstructure comprised of about 96 to about 98 percent cis 1,4-isomeric units, about 1 to about 3 percent trans 1,4-isomeric units and about 0.3 to about 1 percent vinyl 1,2-content; Mn ranging from about 230,000 to about 250,000 with a heterogeneity index ranging from about 1.5/1 to about 2/1, and a Tg ranging from about ?104 to about ?109° C.; (B) 60 to 90 phr of a solution polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber functionalized with an alkoxysilane group and a primary amine group; (C) 60 to 100 phr of silica having a CTAB of between 40 and 525 m2/g, a BET of between 45 and 550 m2/g; and (D) less than 5 phr of carbon black.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire comprising at least one component, the at least one component comprising a rubber composition, the rubber composition comprising: from 70 to 90 phr of a styrene-butadiene rubber functionalized with an alkoxysilane group and at least one of a primary amine group and thiol group; from 10 to 30 phr of at least one additional diene based elastomer; from 60 to 100 phr of precipitated silica; from 1 to 10 phr of a polyoctenamer; from 5 to 25 phr of a starch/plasticizer composite; and from 10 to 20 phr of a tackifying resin.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire comprising at least one component, the at least one component comprising a rubber composition, the rubber composition comprising: at least one diene based elastomer; an alkylalkoxysilane of formula I wherein R1 is exclusive of sulfur and is an alkyl group of 1 to 18 carbon atoms or an aryl group of 6 to 18 carbon atoms, and R2, R3 and R4 are independently alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms; and a silicone T resin.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire having at least one component including a sulfur vulcanizable rubber composition, the rubber composition including at least one diene based rubber and at least one zinc porphyrin compound.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire having at least one component including a sulfur vulcanizable rubber composition, the rubber composition including at least one diene based rubber and at least one zinc naphthalocyanine compound.

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: 100 parts by weight of at least one elastomer; from 10 to 80 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of elastomer (phr) of a high structure silica having a CTAB specific surface area (SCTAB) of between 40 and 525 m2/g, a BET specific surface area (SBET) of between 45 and 550 m2/g; and from 10 to 70 phr of a low structure silica having a median particle size of less than 500 nm, a specific area ranging from 15 to 25 m2/g, and a specific gravity of 2.1 to 2.3 g/cm3.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire including at least one component, the at least component including a rubber composition, the rubber composition including 100 parts by weight of a diene based elastomer and from 1 to 20 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of elastomer (phr), of a solvent-extracted asphaltene.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire comprising a carcass and an innerliner in direct contact with the carcass, the innerliner comprising a rubber composition comprising: at least one elastomer selected from the group consisting of butyl rubber, chlorinated butyl rubber, brominated butyl rubber, synthetic polyisoprene, natural rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, polybutadiene, copolymer of isobutylene and paramethylstyrene, and brominated copolymer of isobutylene and paramethylstyrene; epichlorohydrin rubber; and at least one delaminated talc having a BET surface area according to DIN 66131 of 10-40 m2/g, an average particle size (D50) of 4-8 microns, determined by laser diffraction measurement, and a lamellarity index of 3-15.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire having a rubber component including (A) 100 parts by weight (phr) of a rubber containing olefinic unsaturation; (B) from 50 to 100 phr of silica; (C) from 1 to 40 phr of a polyoctenamer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire including at least one component, the at least component including a rubber composition, the rubber composition including 100 parts by weight of a diene based elastomer and from 1 to 20 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of elastomer (phr), of a solvent-extracted asphaltene.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for maintaining the black sidewall appearance of a tire, comprising the step of fabricating the tire with a rubber sidewall compound comprising 100 parts by weight of at least one diene based rubber; from 10 to 70 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of diene based rubber (phr) of a rubber process oil selected from the group consisting of aromatic, paraffinic, naphthenic, vegetable oils other than castor oil, and low PCA oils including MES, TDAE, SRAE and heavy naphthenic oils; and from 0.5 to 3 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of diene based rubber (phr) of a triglyceride derived from fatty acids comprising at least 80 percent by weight of at least one of ricinoleic acid and 12-hydroxy stearic acid.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire comprising at least one component, the at least component comprising a rubber composition, the rubber composition comprising a diene based elastomer and an oxirane resin of formula I wherein R is a hydrocarbyl group and n1 through nl each represent 0 or an integer of from 1 to 100 and the sum of the integers represented by n1 through nl is from 1 to 100.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for the production of a pneumatic tire comprising a component comprising a rubber composition, wherein the rubber composition comprises 100 parts by weight of elastomer and is produced by (A) mixing a first composition comprising 30 to 110 phr of a silica filler and 20 to 90 phr of a diene based elastomer selected from cis 1,4-polyisoprene rubber (natural or synthetic), 3,4-polyisoprene rubber, styrene/isoprene/butadiene rubber, emulsion and solution polymerization derived styrene/butadiene rubbers, and cis 1,4-polybutadiene rubbers, to form a first nonproductive compound; (B) mixing a second composition comprising from 10 to 80 phr of a rubber containing a nitrile moiety and the first productive compound to form a second nonproductive compound; and (C) mixing a third composition comprising curatives and the second nonproductive compound to form a productive compound.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire comprising at least one component, the at least component comprising a rubber composition, the rubber composition comprising a diene based elastomer and an oxirane resin of formula I wherein R is a hydrocarbyl group and n1 through nl each represent 0 or an integer of from 1 to 100 and the sum of the integers represented by n1 through nl is from 1 to 100.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire having a rubber component including (A) 100 parts by weight (phr) of a rubber containing olefinic unsaturation; (B) from 50 to 100 phr of silica; (C) from 1 to 40 phr of a polyoctenamer. In another embodiment, the invention is directed to a pneumatic tire having a rubber component further including (D) from 1 to 30 phr of a rubber gel 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 having a rubber component including (A) 100 parts by weight (phr) of a rubber containing olefinic unsaturation; (B) from 50 to 100 phr of silica; (C) from 1 to 40 phr of a polyoctenamer.