Disclosed herein are tires having a tread with improved wet performance and improved stiffness made from a rubber composition of specified ingredients including an elastomer component, a terpene phenol resin having a specified hydroxyl value, a filler component including reinforcing silica filler and carbon black, optionally a liquid plasticizer, and a cure package. Also disclosed are methods for improving the wet performance and stiffness of a tire tread by using a terpene phenol resin having a specified hydroxyl value in a rubber composition comprising an elastomer component, a filler component including reinforcing silica filler and carbon black, optionally a liquid plasticizer, and a cure package.

The invention relates to a plasticizer system for use in a tread rubber composition. The plasticizer system is partially derived from or devoid of petroleum-based oils and resins. The pneumatic tire has a tread of a rubber composition comprising, based on 100 parts by weight of elastomer (phr): from about 10 to about 60 phr of a solution polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber (SSBR) extended with an oil not derived from petroleum; and a plasticizer system comprised of (1) from about 4 to about 8 phr of a plasticizing oil not derived from petroleum, and (2) from about 10 to about 20 phr of a hydrocarbon plasticizing resin selected from styrene/α-methyl styrene resin and polyterpene plasticizing resin.

A heavy truck tire is provided that includes a casing with a central axis, and a rubber tread that has a first layer and a second layer. The first layer is located farther from the central axis in a radial direction than the second layer. The first layer has a lower max tan(δ) than a max tan(δ) of the second layer. The max tan(δ) of the first layer is from 0.06-0.15, and the max tan(δ) of the second layer is from 0.12-0.27. The tire also has a sculptural feature that reduces irregular wear.

The present invention relates to a composition for a non-pneumatic tire spoke. In particular, the non-pneumatic tire spoke prepared from the composition for a non-pneumatic tire spoke has excellent mechanical properties. A composition for a non-pneumatic tire spoke includes a thermoplastic polyester elastomer, a silane-based interfacial binder, and silica particles. The silica particles have an average particle diameter of 100 to 300 μm.

Methods are described for the preparation of tapered styrene-butadiene copolymers for use as partial or full oil replacements in rubber compositions. The resulting rubber compositions exhibit improved storage modulus and wear resistance properties.

Methods are described for the preparation of tapered styrene-butadiene copolymers for use as partial or full oil replacements in rubber compositions. The resulting rubber compositions exhibit improved storage modulus and wear resistance properties.

This invention is based upon the unexpected finding that a hydrocarbon traction resin can be dispersed into the oil used in making an oil extended emulsion and solution rubbers to attain improved performance characteristics. For instance, this technique allows for the hydrocarbon traction resin to be incorporated into the rubber at a higher level than would ordinarily be possible using conventional mixing techniques. In tire tread compounds this provides improved wet traction characteristics without compromising cured stiffness (dry traction) and ultimate properties (chip/chunk resistance). This technique can be used to incorporate a resin into virtually any synthetic rubber that can benefit from being oil extended. It is of particular value in making resin modified solution styrene-butadiene rubber (SSBR), emulsion styrene-butadiene rubber (ESBR), high cis-1.4-polybutadiene rubber, and synthetic polyisoprene rubber which are formulated for use in tire tread compounds.

The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire having a tread comprising a vulcanizable rubber composition comprising, based on 100 parts by weight of elastomer (phr), up to 100 phr of a solution polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber; from 5 to 50 phr of a fatty acid monoester of formula 1 ##STR00001##
where R.sup.1 is selected from C1 to C8 linear or branched alkyl, C1 to C8 linear or branched alkenyl, and C2 to C6 linear or branched alkyl substituted with from one to five hydroxyl groups; R.sup.2 is C11 to C21 alkyl or C11 to C21 alkenyl; from 5 to 50 phr of a hydrocarbon resin having a Tg ranging from −40° C. to 20° C.; less than 10 phr of a petroleum-derived oil; and from 50 to 130 phr of silica. optionally, from about 1 to 50 phr carbon black.

One or more embodiments of the present invention provide a method for applying a dual compound coextruded continuous strip of a first compound and a second compound, the method comprising a first extruder for processing a first compound and a second extruder for processing a second compound, wherein the outlet from the first extruder is in fluid communication with a first channel of a housing, and the outlet from the second extruder is in fluid communication with a second channel of the housing, wherein a gear pump is positioned in each channel, wherein a nozzle is in fluid communication with an outlet of the first channel and an outlet of the second channel, and a coextruded continuous strip is produced. The ratio of the first compound to the second compound may be adjusted instantaneously.

One or more embodiments of the present invention provide a method for applying a dual compound coextruded continuous strip of a first compound and a second compound, the method comprising a first extruder for processing a first compound and a second extruder for processing a second compound, wherein the outlet from the first extruder is in fluid communication with a first channel of a housing, and the outlet from the second extruder is in fluid communication with a second channel of the housing, wherein a gear pump is positioned in each channel, wherein a nozzle is in fluid communication with an outlet of the first channel and an outlet of the second channel, and a coextruded continuous strip is produced. The ratio of the first compound to the second compound may be adjusted instantaneously.