The present invention provides an asphalt composition obtained by blending an asphalt and an addition polymerization-type polymer, the addition polymerization-type polymer having a hydroxyl value of 10 mgKOH/g or more and 60 mgKOH/g or less and having a weight average molecular weight (M.sub.w) of 2,500 or more and 70,000 or less.

A rubber composition based on at least an elastomer matrix, a carbon black, a silica, a silane coupling agent and short fibers, wherein the amount in phr of the silica is higher than that of the carbon black, wherein the amount of the silane coupling agent is more than 0.0% and less than 5.0% by weight per 100% by weight of the silica, wherein the amount of the short fibers is more than 0.0 phr and less than 5.0 phr and wherein the number-average length of the short fibers is less than 10 mm.

A rubber composition based on at least an elastomer matrix, a carbon black, a silica, a silane coupling agent and short fibers, wherein the amount in phr of the silica is higher than that of the carbon black, wherein the amount of the silane coupling agent is more than 0.0% and less than 5.0% by weight per 100% by weight of the silica, wherein the amount of the short fibers is more than 0.0 phr and less than 5.0 phr and wherein the number-average length of the short fibers is less than 10 mm.

The present invention is directed to a rubber composition comprising 30 to 100 phr of at least one styrene-butadiene rubber; 0 to 70 phr of at least one further diene-based elastomer; 100 to 200 phr of silica; at least 30 phr of a hydrocarbon resin; and at least 0.1 phr of one or more of amino fatty acids and fatty acid amides. Moreover, the present invention is directed to a tire comprising such a rubber composition.

The present invention is directed to a rubber composition comprising 30 to 100 phr of at least one styrene-butadiene rubber; 0 to 70 phr of at least one further diene-based elastomer; 100 to 200 phr of silica; at least 30 phr of a hydrocarbon resin; and at least 0.1 phr of one or more of amino fatty acids and fatty acid amides. Moreover, the present invention is directed to a tire comprising such a rubber composition.

A hydrogenated conjugated diene-based polymer of the present invention has a branch number (Bn) measured by viscosity detector-equipped GPC-light scattering measurement of 2.5 or more, and a hydrogenation rate of a structural unit derived from a conjugated diene compound of 30% or more and less than 99%.

A hydrogenated conjugated diene-based polymer of the present invention has a branch number (Bn) measured by viscosity detector-equipped GPC-light scattering measurement of 2.5 or more, and a hydrogenation rate of a structural unit derived from a conjugated diene compound of 30% or more and less than 99%.

A method for preparing a functionalized polymer, the method comprising the steps of: (i) polymerizing monomer to form a reactive polymer, and (ii) reacting the reactive polymer with an imine compound containing a heterocyclic group and a hydrocarbyloxy-substituted or silyloxy-substituted aryl group.

A method for preparing a functionalized polymer, the method comprising the steps of: (i) polymerizing monomer to form a reactive polymer, and (ii) reacting the reactive polymer with an imine compound containing a heterocyclic group and a hydrocarbyloxy-substituted or silyloxy-substituted aryl group.

The invention relates to methods for achieving a step increase in the Mooney viscosity in production of high-molecular-weight polybutadiene having >95% by weight content of cis-1,4 units and <1% by weight 1,2-vinyl content, characterized in that 1) at least one monomer selected from butadiene and/or isoprene is polymerized at temperatures of from −20° C. to 150° C. in the presence of at least one inert, organic solvent and in the presence of at least one catalyst based on neodymium carboxylate, 2) the polymerization is then terminated by addition of protic compounds and 3) then sulphur chlorides are added to the polymer, and prior to addition these sulphur chlorides are treated with a carboxylic acid, fatty acid and/or fatty acid ester.