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.

Tires including a bodies formed of one or more tire plies are disclosed. In various implementations, a tire may include several split-ring resonators (SRRs), each associated with a natural resonance frequency configured to shift in response to a change in an elastomeric property of a respective one or more tire plies. The elastomeric property may include one or more of a reversible deformation, stress, or strain. In some implementations, the one or more SRRs may include a first split-ring resonator (SRR) including first carbon particles that may uniquely resonate in response to an electromagnetic ping based at least in part on a concentration level of the first carbon particles within the first SRR and a second SRR including second carbon particles that may uniquely resonate in response to the electromagnetic ping based at least in part on a concentration level of the second carbon particles within the second SRR.

The present invention relates to compositions for elastomeric compounds for tyres, comprising polytetrazole cross-linking compounds characterized by precise activation temperatures, tyre components and tyres for vehicle wheels which comprise them. Advantageously, the present polytetrazole cross-linking agents give lower hysteresis and retention of the modulus of the compounds even under stress.

The present disclosure provides a functionalized carbon black obtained by treating an oxidized carbon black with a sulfur-containing primary or secondary amine or a salt thereof. The disclosure also relates to a process for preparing such functionalized carbon black. Furthermore, the present disclosure relates a vulcanizable rubber composition including (i) a vulcanizable rubber component, and (ii) an oxidized carbon black and (iii) a sulfur-containing primary or secondary amine or a salt thereof, or a functionalized carbon black formed from these components. The disclosure also concerns an article made from the vulcanizable rubber composition. The functionalized carbon blacks disclosed herein are particularly useful for obtaining rubber compounds with low hysteresis and enhanced abrasion resistance, e.g. for the production of energy-saving tires.

A rubber composition exhibiting an improved processability/stiffness compromise is based on at least a diene elastomer, a reinforcing filler, a crosslinking system, between 1 and 30 parts by weight per hundred parts by weight of elastomer, phr, of an epoxy resin and between 1 and 15 phr of a specific amine-comprising hardener comprising in particular at least two primary amine functional groups located on at least one six-membered aromatic ring and at least two Ri radicals, which are identical or different, selected from the group consisting of linear or branched C.sub.1-C.sub.6 alkyl radicals, halogens, and ethers, tertiary amines, thioethers, ketones, esters and amides, substituted by linear or branched C.sub.1-C.sub.6 alkyl radicals, the said ring not comprising a hydrogen atom located in the ortho position with respect to the primary amine functional groups.

A disclosed vehicle component may include at least one split-ring resonator, which may be embedded within a material. The split ring resonator may be formed from a three-dimensional (3D) monolithic carbonaceous growth and may detect an electromagnetic ping emitted from a user device. The split ring resonator may generate an electromagnetic return signal in response to the electromagnetic ping. The electromagnetic return signal may indicate a state of the material in a position proximate to a respective split ring resonator. In some aspects, the split-ring resonator may resonate at a first frequency in response to the electromagnetic ping when the material is in a first state, and may resonate at a second frequency in response to the electromagnetic ping when the material is in a second state. A resonant frequency of the 3D monolithic carbonaceous growth may be based on physical characteristics of the material.

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 disclosure relates to a rubber composition that includes an aromatic-compound based resin and a styrene-butadiene copolymer and a tire using the same as the tread rubber or a component thereof. The rubber composition provides improved wet traction.