The present invention relates to self-supporting tyres for vehicle wheels having sidewall reinforcement inserts (113) with reduced rigidity. These tyres have a good mileage in flat running conditions, greater comfort and significantly reduced rolling resistance compared to known self-supporting tyres, with higher modulus sidewall reinforcement inserts.

The present invention relates to a self-supporting tire for vehicle wheels comprising a carcass structure comprising at least one carcass ply having a plurality of hybrid reinforcing cords (10) each comprising at least two strands (20) twisted to each other with a predetermined stranding pitch (P), wherein each of said at least two strands (20) comprises at least one monofilament textile thread (21) at least partially embedded in the filaments (22a) of at least one multifilament textile yarn (22) and a pair of sidewall reinforcement inserts (113), where at least one of said sidewall reinforcement inserts comprises a vulcanised elastomeric compound which has a dynamic shear modulus value G equal to or less than 1.25 MPa measured at 70° C., 10 Hz, 9% deformation according to the RPA method reported in the present description.

A rubber composition is based on an elastomeric matrix comprising from 40 to 80 phr of at least one butadiene elastomer, a vulcanization system comprising sulfur and a vulcanization accelerator, in which the weight ratio of sulfur to vulcanization accelerator is strictly less than 1, and at least 55 phr of organic filler mainly comprising a carbon black, called black G, having a BET specific surface area ranging from 15 to 50 m.sup.2/g and a compressed oil absorption number (COAN) in a range of from 40 to 100 ml/100 g.

The invention relates to a plasticizer system for use in a tread rubber composition. The plasticizer system is partially derived from or devoid of petroleum-based oils and resins. The pneumatic tire has a tread of a rubber composition comprising, based on 100 parts by weight of elastomer (phr): from about 10 to about 60 phr of a solution polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber (SSBR) extended with an oil not derived from petroleum; and a plasticizer system comprised of (1) from about 4 to about 8 phr of a plasticizing oil not derived from petroleum, and (2) from about 10 to about 20 phr of a hydrocarbon plasticizing resin selected from styrene/α-methyl styrene resin and polyterpene plasticizing resin.

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.

The present invention provides a run-flat tire excellent in run-flat durability. In the run-flat tire, a vulcanized rubber of a rubber composition containing a rubber component and a vulcanization accelerator that contains tetrabenzylthiuramdisulfide is used for at least one member selected from the group consisting of a side-reinforcing rubber layer and a bead filler. In the vulcanized rubber of the run-flat tire, a proportion of monosulfide bonds and disulfide bonds in all sulfide bonds is 65% or more.

The present invention is directed to a benzoxazine-functionalized diene-based elastomer comprising polymer chains including repeat units which include conjugated diolefin monomers, such as 1,3-butadiene and isoprene. Additionally, said elastomer comprises at least one benzoxazine connected to a polymer chain via a spacer, wherein the spacer has a length ranging from 3 to 8 atoms. A further aspect of the present invention is directed to a rubber composition comprising such an elastomer, an article of manufacture comprising this rubber composition, and a method of making said benzoxazine-functionalized diene-based elastomer.

The present invention provides a run-flat tire excellent in high-temperature softening inhibition, and a rubber composition from which the tire can be produced. The rubber composition contains a rubber component, a filler, a vulcanizing agent, and a vulcanization accelerator that contains a sulfenamide-based vulcanization accelerator and 1.0 to 2.0 parts by mass of tetrabenzylthiuramdisulfide based on 100 parts by mass of the rubber component, in which a mass ratio (a/b) of a content (a) of the tetrabenzylthiuramdisulfide to a content (b) of the sulfenamide-based vulcanization accelerator is 0.60 to 1.25.

Provided is a run flat tire comprising a side reinforcing layer on a sidewall part, wherein a rubber composition of the side reinforcing layer has a complex elastic modulus at 100° C. (E*.sub.100) of 5.0 to 17 MPa and a loss tangent at 60° C. (60° C. tan δ) of 0.020 to 0.100 MPa, and wherein, where a tire cross-sectional width is defined as Wt (mm) and a tire outer diameter is defined as Dt (mm), Wt and Dt satisfy any of the following inequality (1), (2), and (3):

Wt<225 and Dt≥59.078×Wt{circumflex over ( )}0.460  (1)

225≤Wt<235 and Dt≥59.078×Wt{circumflex over ( )}0.620−967.673  (2)

235≤Wt and Dt≥Wt{circumflex over ( )}0.6+750  (3)

Provided are a rubber composition for tires that provides improved silica dispersion and fuel economy while maintaining good hardness, and a pneumatic tire including the rubber composition. The present invention relates to a rubber composition for tires, containing a rubber component, silica, and a silica dispersing agent represented by the following formula (I). ##STR00001##