A vulcanizable rubber composition comprises an interpenetrating or ionic network (IPN)-promoting resin. The resin comprises side chain functional groups along the resin backbone, which, in the presence of an additive material, form the connections that make up the IPN. In one embodiment, such material is ZnO. A method for forming the rubber composition comprises, in a productive step, mixing the product of the non-productive step, the zinc oxide, and a resin derived from maleic anhydride. The zinc oxide and the resin are simultaneously added to the composition during the productive mixing stage. The rubber composition can be cured and incorporated in a tire component, such as, a tread.

A vulcanizable rubber composition comprises an interpenetrating or ionic network (IPN)-promoting resin. The resin comprises side chain functional groups along the resin backbone, which, in the presence of an additive material, form the connections that make up the IPN. In one embodiment, such material is ZnO. A method for forming the rubber composition comprises, in a productive step, mixing the product of the non-productive step, the zinc oxide, and a resin derived from maleic anhydride. The zinc oxide and the resin are simultaneously added to the composition during the productive mixing stage. The rubber composition can be cured and incorporated in a tire component, such as, a tread.

A vulcanizable rubber composition comprises an interpenetrating or ionic network (IPN)-promoting resin. The resin comprises side chain functional groups along the resin backbone, which, in the presence of an additive material, form the connections that make up the IPN. In one embodiment, such material is ZnO. A method for forming the rubber composition comprises, in a productive step, mixing the product of the non-productive step, the zinc oxide, and a resin derived from maleic anhydride. The zinc oxide and the resin are simultaneously added to the composition during the productive mixing stage. The rubber composition can be cured and incorporated in a tire component, such as, a tread.

Provided are a rubber composition having excellent overall performance in terms of fuel economy and bleed resistance as well as good LCA performance (e.g., reduction of CO.sub.2 emissions), and a tire including the composition. A rubber composition containing a plant oil satisfying the conditions (1)-(4): (1) it is liquid at 23° C.; (2) it has a GPC weight-average molecular weight of more than 800; (3) when it is 3-fold diluted with THF, it satisfies the following relationship with respect to the absorbances at 450 nm and 600 nm measured with a spectrophotometer: Absorbance at 450 nm−Absorbance at 600 nm 0.05; and (4) it satisfies the following relationship with respect to the weights before and after passing 100 g of the plant oil at 23-30° C. through 20 mesh plain weave wire cloth: (Weight after passing through plain weave wire cloth)/(Weight before passing through plain weave wire cloth)×100≥99.0.

Provided are a rubber composition having excellent overall performance in terms of fuel economy and bleed resistance as well as good LCA performance (e.g., reduction of CO.sub.2 emissions), and a tire including the composition. A rubber composition containing a plant oil satisfying the conditions (1)-(4): (1) it is liquid at 23° C.; (2) it has a GPC weight-average molecular weight of more than 800; (3) when it is 3-fold diluted with THF, it satisfies the following relationship with respect to the absorbances at 450 nm and 600 nm measured with a spectrophotometer: Absorbance at 450 nm−Absorbance at 600 nm 0.05; and (4) it satisfies the following relationship with respect to the weights before and after passing 100 g of the plant oil at 23-30° C. through 20 mesh plain weave wire cloth: (Weight after passing through plain weave wire cloth)/(Weight before passing through plain weave wire cloth)×100≥99.0.

The invention provides a heavy-duty tire rubber composition excellent in wet grip performance and steering stability, and a tire tread, a bead filler, a tire belt and a heavy-duty tire which each partially include the composition. The heavy-duty tire rubber composition includes 100 parts by mass of a solid rubber (A), 0.1 to 50 parts by mass of a modified liquid diene rubber (B) having a functional group derived from a silane compound with a specific structure, and 20 to 200 parts by mass of a filler (C), the modified liquid diene rubber (B) satisfying the following (i) and (ii): (i) the weight average molecular weight (Mw) is not less than 1,000 and not more than 120,000, and (ii) the vinyl content is not less than 30 mol % and less than 70 mol %.

The invention provides a heavy-duty tire rubber composition excellent in wet grip performance and steering stability, and a tire tread, a bead filler, a tire belt and a heavy-duty tire which each partially include the composition. The heavy-duty tire rubber composition includes 100 parts by mass of a solid rubber (A), 0.1 to 50 parts by mass of a modified liquid diene rubber (B) having a functional group derived from a silane compound with a specific structure, and 20 to 200 parts by mass of a filler (C), the modified liquid diene rubber (B) satisfying the following (i) and (ii): (i) the weight average molecular weight (Mw) is not less than 1,000 and not more than 120,000, and (ii) the vinyl content is not less than 30 mol % and less than 70 mol %.

A rubber composition that is based upon a cross-linkable elastomer composition comprising, per 100 parts by weight of rubber (phr) between 70 phr and 100 phr of an epoxidized rubber component selected from an epoxidized polybutadiene rubber (eBR), an epoxidized styrene-butadiene rubber (eSBR), or combinations thereof, wherein the epoxidized rubber component has a Tg of between −80° C. and −110° C. and an epoxy-function content of between 1 mol % and 25 mol %; between 30 phr and 150 phr of a plasticizing resin; and a quickly reactive silica that provides a macro dispersion Z-value of at least 50 in a defined rubber composition; and a non-silol coupling agent.

A rubber composition that is based upon a cross-linkable elastomer composition comprising, per 100 parts by weight of rubber (phr) between 70 phr and 100 phr of an epoxidized rubber component selected from an epoxidized polybutadiene rubber (eBR), an epoxidized styrene-butadiene rubber (eSBR), or combinations thereof, wherein the epoxidized rubber component has a Tg of between −80° C. and −110° C. and an epoxy-function content of between 1 mol % and 25 mol %; between 30 phr and 150 phr of a plasticizing resin; and a quickly reactive silica that provides a macro dispersion Z-value of at least 50 in a defined rubber composition; and a non-silol coupling agent.

A method of preparing functionalized elastomers, including epoxy ring-opening an epoxidized elastomer with a C.sub.1-C.sub.32 hydrocarbyl-substituted thiol to provide a functionalized elastomer comprising an epoxy functional group, a hydroxy functional group, and a C.sub.1-C.sub.32 hydrocarbyl-substituted thio functional group. The hydroxy functional group and the C.sub.1-C.sub.32 hydrocarbyl-substituted thio functional group are vicinal functional groups.