Disclosed is a method of making an endodontic body in which a filling material blank comprising filling material suitable for endodontic applications is provided, a mold system defining at least one mold cavity is provided, where at least a portion of the mold cavity is in the shape of the endodontic body, the filling material blank is arranged adjacent to the at least one mold cavity, heat is applied to the filling material blank such that the filling material blank is deformable; and pressure is applied to the heated filling material blank such that at least a portion of the heated material blank flows into the at least one mold cavity.

Disclosed is a method of making an endodontic body in which a filling material blank comprising filling material suitable for endodontic applications is provided, a mold system defining at least one mold cavity is provided, where at least a portion of the mold cavity is in the shape of the endodontic body, the filling material blank is arranged adjacent to the at least one mold cavity, heat is applied to the filling material blank such that the filling material blank is deformable; and pressure is applied to the heated filling material blank such that at least a portion of the heated material blank flows into the at least one mold cavity.

A tire exhibits an improved performance compromise, the tread of which comprises a rubber composition based on an elastomeric matrix comprising from 25 to 95 parts by weight per hundred parts by weight of elastomer, phr, of copolymer based on butadiene and on styrene having a glass transition temperature of less than −70° C., and from 5 to 75 phr of polybutadiene, the elastomeric matrix comprising less than 15 phr of isoprene elastomer; at least one reinforcing filler; from 25 to 100 phr of at least one plasticizing resin having a glass transition temperature of greater than 20° C.; and a vulcanization system.

A tire exhibits an improved performance compromise, the tread of which comprises a rubber composition based on an elastomeric matrix comprising from 25 to 95 parts by weight per hundred parts by weight of elastomer, phr, of copolymer based on butadiene and on styrene having a glass transition temperature of less than −70° C., and from 5 to 75 phr of polybutadiene, the elastomeric matrix comprising less than 15 phr of isoprene elastomer; at least one reinforcing filler; from 25 to 100 phr of at least one plasticizing resin having a glass transition temperature of greater than 20° C.; and a vulcanization system.

A modified natural rubber has a branching degree of 0.40 to 0.70 and includes a linking structure represented by formula (C), the linking structure having been formed by allowing polyisoprene, having a structure represented by formula (A) and/or formula (B), to bind in the structure to an amino compound having two or more primary amino groups: ##STR00001##
wherein X represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and Ps, which may be the same or different from each other, represent a polyisoprene unit;
W-(Q).sub.m  (C)
wherein W represents a residue obtained by removing amino end groups from the amino compound Q represents at least one selected from the group consisting of the following general formulae (Q-1) to (Q-4), and m represents 2 to 4; ##STR00002##
wherein *.sup.1 indicates binding to a carbon atom of a polyisoprene unit, and *.sup.2 indicates binding to a carbon atom of the residue represented by W.

The present invention aims to provide tire rubber composition with significantly improved overall performance in terms of wet grip performance and fuel economy, and pneumatic tires including the rubber compositions. The tire rubber compositions of the present invention have a tan δ versus temperature curve whose peak tan δ and half width satisfy the following relationship (1): Peak tan δ/Half width ≥ 0.025 (1).

The present invention aims to provide tire rubber composition with significantly improved overall performance in terms of wet grip performance and fuel economy, and pneumatic tires including the rubber compositions. The tire rubber compositions of the present invention have a tan δ versus temperature curve whose peak tan δ and half width satisfy the following relationship (1): Peak tan δ/Half width ≥ 0.025 (1).

An oxo-nitrogenated vanadium complex having the general formula (I): in which: R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R.sub.6 and R.sub.7, mutually identical or different, represent a hydrogen atom; or are selected from optionally halogenated, linear or branched C.sub.1-C.sub.20, preferably C.sub.1-C.sub.15, alkyl groups, optionally substituted cycloalkyl groups, optionally substituted aryl groups; X.sub.1 and X.sub.2, mutually identical or different, represent a halogen atom such as, for example, chlorine, bromine, iodine, preferably chlorine; or are selected from linear or branched C.sub.1-C.sub.20, preferably C.sub.1-C.sub.15, alkyl groups, —OCOR.sub.8 groups or —OR.sub.8 groups in which R.sub.8 is selected from linear or branched C.sub.1-C.sub.20, preferably C.sub.1-C.sub.15, alkyl groups; Y is selected from ethers such as, for example, diethyl ether, tetrahydrofuran (THF), dimethoxyethane, preferably is tetrahydrofuran (THF); n is 0 or 1. Said oxo-nitrogenated vanadium complex having the general formula (I) may advantageously be used in a catalytic system for (co)polymerising conjugated dienes.

An oxo-nitrogenated vanadium complex having the general formula (I): in which: R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R.sub.6 and R.sub.7, mutually identical or different, represent a hydrogen atom; or are selected from optionally halogenated, linear or branched C.sub.1-C.sub.20, preferably C.sub.1-C.sub.15, alkyl groups, optionally substituted cycloalkyl groups, optionally substituted aryl groups; X.sub.1 and X.sub.2, mutually identical or different, represent a halogen atom such as, for example, chlorine, bromine, iodine, preferably chlorine; or are selected from linear or branched C.sub.1-C.sub.20, preferably C.sub.1-C.sub.15, alkyl groups, —OCOR.sub.8 groups or —OR.sub.8 groups in which R.sub.8 is selected from linear or branched C.sub.1-C.sub.20, preferably C.sub.1-C.sub.15, alkyl groups; Y is selected from ethers such as, for example, diethyl ether, tetrahydrofuran (THF), dimethoxyethane, preferably is tetrahydrofuran (THF); n is 0 or 1. Said oxo-nitrogenated vanadium complex having the general formula (I) may advantageously be used in a catalytic system for (co)polymerising conjugated dienes.

A method for preparing cis-1,4-polydienes, the method comprising the steps of preparing a preformed, active lanthanide-based catalyst, aging the active lanthanide-based catalyst for more than 5 days to thereby formed an aged catalyst, and introducing the aged catalyst and conjugated diene monomer to be polymerized to thereby form an active polymerization mixture in which the conjugated diene monomer is polymerized to form a polydiene having a reactive chain end.