Abstract: The invention is directed to a rubber composition comprising a block copolymer of a conjugated diene monomer and benzofulvene, and a pneumatic tire comprising the rubber composition.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rubber composition prepared with pre-treated precipitated silica and tire with component comprised of such rubber composition. The rubber composition is comprised of at least one diene-based elastomer and said pre-treated precipitated silica together with a sulfur cure package comprised of elemental sulfur together with 1,6-bis (N,N?-dibenzylthiocarbamoyldithio)-hexane crosslinking agent and sulfenamide accelerator.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rubber composition prepared with pre-treated precipitated silica and tire with component comprised of such rubber composition. The rubber composition is comprised of at least one diene-based elastomer and said pre-treated precipitated silica together with a sulfur cure package comprised of elemental sulfur together with 1,6-bis (N,N?-dibenzylthiocarbamoyldithio)-hexane crosslinking agent and sulfenamide accelerator.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of making a cord-reinforced rubber article, comprising the steps of (A) atomizing a mixture of a halogenated hydrocarbon, a carrier gas, and at least one member of the group consisting of hydrocarbon sulfides and polymerizable monomers, to form an atomized mixture; (B) generating an atmospheric pressure plasma from the atomized mixture; (C) exposing a reinforcement cord to the atmospheric pressure plasma to produce a treated reinforcement cord; and (D) contacting the treated reinforcement cord with a rubber composition comprising a diene based elastomer and at least one member of the group consisting of methylene donors and methylene acceptors.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rubber composition prepared with pre-treated precipitated silica and tire with component comprised of such rubber composition. The rubber composition is comprised of at least one diene-based elastomer and said pre-treated precipitated silica together with a sulfur cure package comprised of elemental sulfur together with 1,6-bis (N,N?-dibenzylthiocarbamoyldithio)-hexane crosslinking agent and sulfenamide accelerator.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rubber composition and tire with tread thereof containing a functionalized elastomer and reinforcement comprised of rubber reinforcing carbon black and a combination of pre-hydrophobated precipitated silica and at least one of hydrophilic precipitated silica together with at least one of short fibers and resin product of methylene acceptor and methylene donor or hydrophilic precipitated silica having been hydrophobated in situ within the rubber composition by a silica coupling agent, optionally together with at least one of reinforcement additive comprised of short fibers and reinforcement additive comprised of resin product of methylene acceptor and methylene donor.

Abstract: There is disclosed a vulcanizable rubber composition comprising: (A) a functionalized elastomer comprising the reaction product of a living anionic elastomeric polymer and a polymerization terminator of formula I where R1, R2 and R3 are independently C1 to C8 alkyl or C1 to C8 alkoxy, with the proviso that at least two of R1, R2 and R3 are C1 to C8 alkoxy; R4 is C1 to C8 alkyl; Si is silicon; S is sulfur; and Z is R5 or of formula II where R5 is alkyl, aryl, alkylaryl or arylalkyl; (B) a polymeric amine comprising a primary amine functionality; and (C) an aromatic carboxylic acid or aromatic acid anhydride.

Abstract: There is disclosed a vulcanizable rubber composition comprising: (A) a functionalized elastomer comprising the reaction product of a living anionic elastomeric polymer and a polymerization terminator of formula I where R1, R2 and R3 are independently C1 to C8 alkyl or C1 to C8 alkoxy, with the proviso that at least two of R1, R2 and R3 are C1 to C8 alkoxy; R4 is C1 to C8 alkyl; Si is silicon; S is sulfur; and Z is R5 or of formula II where R5 is alkyl, aryl, alkylaryl or arylalkyl; (B) a polymeric amine comprising a primary amine functionality; and (C) an aromatic carboxylic acid or aromatic acid anhydride.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of making a cord-reinforced rubber article, comprising the steps of (A) atomizing a mixture of a halogenated hydrocarbon, a carrier gas, and at least one member of the group consisting of hydrocarbon sulfides and polymerizable monomers, to form an atomized mixture; (B) generating an atmospheric pressure plasma from the atomized mixture; (C) exposing a reinforcement cord to the atmospheric pressure plasma to produce a treated reinforcement cord; and (D) contacting the treated reinforcement cord with a rubber composition comprising a diene based elastomer and at least one member of the group consisting of methylene donors and methylene acceptors.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tire with tread of a rubber composition containing a functionalized elastomer and pre-hydrophobated precipitated silica reinforcement.

Abstract: Pneumatic rubber tire with a component comprised of a silica reinforced rubber composition comprised of specialized polybutadiene rubber, functionalized styrene/butadiene elastomer and cis 1,4-polyisoprene rubber.

Abstract: Pneumatic rubber tire with a component comprised of a silica reinforced rubber composition comprised of a combination of functionalized polybutadiene rubber and functionalized styrene/butadiene elastomer.

Abstract: This invention relates to a silica reinforcement-containing rubber composition which contains a functionalized polybutadiene rubber to promote a relatively low hysteretic loss to thereby enhance its desirability for tire sidewall and subtread applications in a sense of advantageously promoting reduced tire rolling resistance without significantly compromising various other desirable tire performance parameters.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire having an air barrier layer, particularly an integral pneumatic tire innerliner, for prevention, or retardation, of air permeation from its inner chamber to the atmosphere through the carcass of the tire. The innerliner is comprised of an annular, cylindrical, hoop of a film having its ends overlapped and heat sealed together. The film is comprised of a continuous thermoplastic polymer phase which contains a dispersion therein of cured rubber domains, particularly cured low unsaturation rubber domains. In one embodiment, one surface of the film contains a thin bonding layer to aid in bonding the film to an unsaturated rubber-containing tire carcass. In one embodiment, the overlapping portion of the ends of the film have a thin rubber layer positioned therebetween.

Abstract: Pneumatic rubber tire with a component comprised of a silica reinforced rubber composition comprised of specialized polybutadiene rubber, functionalized styrene/butadiene elastomer and cis 1,4-polyisoprene rubber.

Abstract: This invention relates to a silica reinforcement-containing rubber composition which contains a functionalized polybutadiene rubber to promote a relatively low hysteretic loss to thereby enhance its desirability for tire sidewall and subtread applications in a sense of advantageously promoting reduced tire rolling resistance without significantly compromising various other desirable tire performance parameters.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire having an air barrier layer, particularly an integral pneumatic tire innerliner, for prevention, or retardation, of air permeation from its inner chamber to the atmosphere through the carcass of the tire. The innerliner is comprised of an annular, cylindrical, hoop of a film having its ends overlapped and heat sealed together. The film is comprised of a continuous thermoplastic polymer phase which contains a dispersion therein of cured rubber domains, particularly cured low unsaturation rubber domains. In one embodiment, one surface of the film contains a thin bonding layer to aid in bonding the film to an unsaturated rubber-containing tire carcass. In one embodiment, the overlapping portion of the ends of the film have a thin rubber layer positioned therebetween.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to self-healing materials and use thereof for extending the lifespan of a tire. The self-healing material includes a rubber healing agent, e.g., sulfur, encapsulated by a coating material, e.g., polypropylene, defining a microcapsule. The self-healing materials are processed with rubbery polymers to provide a rubber compound suitable for use in a tire. The microcapsule coating material is selected to prevent release of the healing agent during the processing steps of the rubber compound, such as can occur through melting or softening of the coating material, and to release the healing agent, e.g., via melting or softening, at a desired temperature greater than a tire's running temperature. Release of the healing agent can help repair damage to local polymeric structure, such as broken cross-links, by reacting with the surrounding rubber. In this way, that area of the rubber compound can be reinforced, thereby prolonging the life of the tire.

Abstract: This invention relates to preparation of nanocomposites comprised of elastomer and a dispersion of an at least partially exfoliated water swellable clay and to rubber compositions containing such nanocomposite and articles of manufacture which contain at least one component thereof. The nanocomposite is prepared by addition of a water suspension of water swellable clay particles to an anionic aqueous emulsion of elastomer particles to form a mixture to which an amine having at least two amine centers is added to intercalate and at least partially exfoliate the water swelled clay particles by an ion exchange within the galleries of the multilayered clay with cation exchangeable ion(s) and to aid in coagulating the elastomer and resultant clay particles to form said nanocomposite.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tire with a tread. The tread is composed of at least two defined elastomers having Tg's spaced apart by at least 55° C. to the exclusion of elastomers having Tg's between −30° and −85° C. The tread composition can be reinforced with either carbon black or a combination of carbon black and silica reinforcing fillers.