A vulcanizate is provided that includes a crosslinked network of elastomeric polymer having hydrogen bonds and covalent bonds. A method for preparing a functionalized elastomeric polymer and a method for preparing the vulcanizate are also provided.

Provided is a rubber composition that realizes excellent low heat generating properties while maintaining good steering stability when applied to a tire. The rubber composition of the present disclosure contains a rubber component containing a copolymer having a conjugated diene unit and an aromatic vinyl unit, and a filler, where the copolymer is a modified copolymer having a content of the aromatic vinyl unit of less than 10 mass % and modified with a modifier containing a compound represented by the formula (1).

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Provided is a rubber composition that realizes excellent low heat generating properties while maintaining good steering stability when applied to a tire. The rubber composition of the present disclosure contains a rubber component containing a copolymer having a conjugated diene unit and an aromatic vinyl unit, and a filler, where the copolymer is a modified copolymer having a content of the aromatic vinyl unit of less than 10 mass % and modified with a modifier containing a compound represented by the formula (1).

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A styrenic block copolymer having one or more polymer blocks A and one or more polymer blocks B is disclosed, where “A” is a poly(vinylaromatic) block having a molecular weight of greater than 5 kg/mol. The “B” block has a molecular weight of more than 15 kg/mol, and comprises polymerized 1,3-diene units and vinylaromatic units, wherein the polymerized vinylaromatic units represent 5-40 wt. % of the overall weight of the block “B”. The polymerized 1,3-diene units comprise more than 80 wt. % of polymerized isoprene units in which 45-80 mol % are 1,4-isoprene addition units. The blocks “A” and “B” represent from >5 to <40 wt. %, and >33 to <95 wt. %, respectively, relative to the overall weight of the block copolymer. The polymers have physical properties that make them valuable, e.g., as vibration damping materials.

A styrenic block copolymer having one or more polymer blocks A and one or more polymer blocks B is disclosed, where “A” is a poly(vinylaromatic) block having a molecular weight of greater than 5 kg/mol. The “B” block has a molecular weight of more than 15 kg/mol, and comprises polymerized 1,3-diene units and vinylaromatic units, wherein the polymerized vinylaromatic units represent 5-40 wt. % of the overall weight of the block “B”. The polymerized 1,3-diene units comprise more than 80 wt. % of polymerized isoprene units in which 45-80 mol % are 1,4-isoprene addition units. The blocks “A” and “B” represent from >5 to <40 wt. %, and >33 to <95 wt. %, respectively, relative to the overall weight of the block copolymer. The polymers have physical properties that make them valuable, e.g., as vibration damping materials.

The present disclosure provides a tire having excellent enduring performance. The present disclosure relates to a tire including a tread containing a rubber composition, the rubber composition satisfying the following relationships 1) to 3) when measured within 180 days after vulcanization: 1) Hso/Hsa×100≥95 wherein Hso: hardness at room temperature, Hsa: hardness at room temperature after heat treatment at 80° C. for 168 hours; 2) As/Ts×100≤70 wherein Ts: sulfur content before acetone extraction, As: sulfur content after acetone extraction; and 3) Swell≤330 wherein Swell: toluene swelling index.

The present disclosure provides a tire having excellent enduring performance. The present disclosure relates to a tire including a tread containing a rubber composition, the rubber composition satisfying the following relationships 1) to 3) when measured within 180 days after vulcanization: 1) Hso/Hsa×100≥95 wherein Hso: hardness at room temperature, Hsa: hardness at room temperature after heat treatment at 80° C. for 168 hours; 2) As/Ts×100≤70 wherein Ts: sulfur content before acetone extraction, As: sulfur content after acetone extraction; and 3) Swell≤330 wherein Swell: toluene swelling index.

A tread additive composition to be combined with a base composition for tire treads to achieve low rolling resistance includes an elastomeric component, a first additive component, and a second additive component. The elastomeric component includes a first silane-grafted polyolefine elastomer. The first additive component including a polymer carrier, a reinforcing filler, silane-terminated liquid polybutadienes, and one or more process activators. The second additive component including a butadiene rubber, a hydrocarbon resin, sulfur; and one or more accelerators. Advantageously, the tread additive composition can decrease rolling resistance and improve fuel economy when combined with a base tread composition as compared to treads formed from the base tread composition without the tread additive composition.

A tread additive composition to be combined with a base composition for tire treads to achieve low rolling resistance includes an elastomeric component, a first additive component, and a second additive component. The elastomeric component includes a first silane-grafted polyolefine elastomer. The first additive component including a polymer carrier, a reinforcing filler, silane-terminated liquid polybutadienes, and one or more process activators. The second additive component including a butadiene rubber, a hydrocarbon resin, sulfur; and one or more accelerators. Advantageously, the tread additive composition can decrease rolling resistance and improve fuel economy when combined with a base tread composition as compared to treads formed from the base tread composition without the tread additive composition.

A rubber composition for a tire, which does not require the addition of a compound when synthesizing rubber component and the modification of a rubber component, and a studless tire using the rubber composition are provided. The rubber composition for a tire contains fine particles of rotaxane having a straight chain molecule, a cyclic molecule clathrating the straight chain molecule and blocking groups arranged at both terminals of the straight chain molecule such that the cyclic molecule does not desorb from the straight chain molecule, covered with silica; a rubber component including natural rubber and butadiene rubber; and carbon black, wherein the total content of the fine particles and the carbon black is 30 to 60 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the rubber component.