A tyre (100) for vehicle wheels is described comprising at least one structural element comprising a vulcanized elastomeric material obtained by vulcanizing a vulcanizable elastomeric composition comprising a predispersion of an elastomeric diene polymer and lignin obtained by a process comprising: a) providing in a dispersant liquid a first lignin suspension having a value of a median particle diameter D50 equal to or less than 10 microns; b) providing a second suspension comprising lignin and elastomeric diene polymer latex by mixing the first lignin suspension obtained from step a) with the latex; and c) removing the dispersant liquid from the second suspension comprising lignin and elastomeric diene polymer latex.

Provided are a rubber composition for producing a foam having a high expansion ratio, a high-expansion-ratio foam, a tire, an acoustic member, a sealing material, a hose, a belt, a wire covering, a thermal insulation material, an expansion ratio improver for rubber, a method for improving the expansion ratio of a foam, and a method for producing a high-expansion-ratio foam. A rubber composition for producing a foam having a high expansion ratio, comprising the following components (a), (b), (c), and (d): (a) a rubber component; (b) a chemical foaming agent; (c) a compound represented by the following formula (1) or a salt thereof; and (d) at least one member selected from the group consisting of vulcanizing agents and crosslinking agents:

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wherein R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, or an aralkyl group; R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 are the same or different and each represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aralkyl group, or an aryl group; and each of these groups optionally further has one or more substituents.

A method for producing a clay/polymer composite may include choosing an intercalating agent from among organic constituents of a polymer matrix, forming a polymer-compatible organoclay by mixing and milling an intercalating agent with a clay, and adding a polymer-compatible organoclay to a polymer matrix.

According to the process for preparing a vulcanized rubber composition of the invention comprising (a) a step of preparing a master batch comprising a modified conjugated diene polymer and silica, (b) a step of preparing a master batch comprising an isoprene rubber and silica, (c) a step of kneading the master batch obtained in (a) and the master batch obtained in (b), and (d) a step of vulcanizing a kneaded product obtained in (c), wherein the obtained vulcanized rubber composition comprises a phase A comprising a modified conjugated diene polymer and a phase B comprising an isoprene rubber, which are incompatible with each other, an abundance ratio of silica in the phase A satisfies 0.50.9 (Relation 1), and a proportion of the modified conjugated diene polymer satisfies 0.40.8 (Relation 2) it is possible to improve performance on ice and abrasion resistance and to provide a vulcanized rubber composition having excellent performance on ice and abrasion resistance, and a studless tire with a tread made using the same.

Crumb rubber obtained from recycled tires is subjected to an interlinked substitution process. The process utilizes a reactive component that interferes with sulfur bonds. The resulting treated rubber exhibits properties similar to those of the virgin composite rubber structure prior to being granulated, and is suitable for use in fabricating new tires, engineered rubber articles, and asphalt rubber for use in waterproofing and paving applications.

Blends of elastomer composites with unfilled or less highly filled elastomer reduces hysteresis without compromising reinforcement. Hysteresis may also be reduced by adjusting the compounding method.

Blends of elastomer composites with unfilled or less highly filled elastomer reduces hysteresis without compromising reinforcement. Hysteresis may also be reduced by adjusting the compounding method.

A masterbatch manufacturing method is disclosed in which carbon black is added to a liquid and this is agitated to obtain a carbon black slurry; the carbon black slurry and rubber latex are mixed to obtain pre-coagulation rubber latex; and the pre-coagulation rubber latex is coagulated; wherein, at the operation in which the carbon black slurry is obtained, dispersion time from the start of agitation to the end of agitation is not less than 5 times, but not greater than 40 times. A particle diameter reduction relaxation time v may be found by plotting measurement results on a planar graph in such fashion that elapsed time t (minutes) since the start of agitation is plotted on the horizontal axis, and particle diameter f (m) of carbon black is plotted on the vertical axis, to obtain a best-fit solution.

Disclosed herein are rubber compositions comprising: (a) natural rubber, polyisoprene, or a combination thereof; (b) at least one conjugated diene monomer containing polymer or polymer; (c) a first silica filler having a BET surface area of at least 220 m.sup.2/g; (d) a second silica filler having a BET surface area lower than that of the first silica filler and greater than 135 m.sup.2/g; and (e) optionally carbon black filler.

According to a production method of a rubber composition for tire of the present invention comprising a rubber component (A) comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of a natural rubber and a synthetic diene rubber, a filler, a coupling agent (D) of (C.sub.pH.sub.2p+1O).sub.3Si(CH.sub.2).sub.qSCOC.sub.kH.sub.2k+1, and a vulcanizing agent (E) comprising a vulcanizer and a vulcanization accelerator, the method comprising: a step X1 of kneading all amount of A, a part of the filler and a part of D, a step X2 of kneading the kneaded product of step X1, the remaining amount of the filler and D, and a step F of kneading the kneaded product of step X2 and E, it is possible to produce a rubber composition for tire in which fuel efficiency and abrasion resistance are improved in a good balance.