A steel filament for twisting into a steel cord for the reinforcement of rubber articles, which contains a steel substrate that is coated with a coating comprising brass. The coating is different in that the amount of iron at the surface is distinctively higher than that prior steel filaments. The coating has an average iron content of 4 or more atomic percent compared to the total of iron, zinc and copper atoms in the layer extending from the surface to a depth of 3 nanometer below the surface. The steel filaments show an improved adhesion retention under hot and humid conditions and in organic cobalt compound containing rubbers as well as rubbers that are substantially free of cobalt. The lifetime of the rubber article is extended.

A metallic or metallized reinforcer has at least a surface of which is at least partially metallic, the at least partially metallic surface being coated with a polybenzoxazine sulfide whose repeating units include at least one unit corresponding to formula (I) or (II): ##STR00001##
in which the two oxazine rings are connected together via a central aromatic group, the benzene ring of which bears one, two, three or four groups of formula —S.sub.x—R in which “x” is an integer from 1 to 8 and R represents hydrogen or a hydrocarbon-based group including 1 to 10 carbon atoms and optionally a heteroatom chosen from O, S, N and P. Such a reinforcement can be used for the reinforcement of a rubber article, in particular a motor vehicle tire.

Shape memory alloy elements (“SMAs”) are bonded, encased, or encapsulated with one or more polymers to form an integrated component with unique elastic, pseudoelastic, and load-bearing properties.

A polybenzoxazine sulfide has repeating units including at least one unit corresponding to formula (I) or (II): ##STR00001##
in which the two oxazine rings are connected together via a central aromatic group, the benzene ring of which bears one, two, three or four groups of formula —S.sub.x—R in which “x” is an integer from 1 to 8 and R represents hydrogen or a hydrocarbon-based group including 1 to 10 carbon atoms and optionally a heteroatom chosen from O, S, N and P. Such a polybenzoxazine can be used as an adhesive layer on metal, in particular for the adhesive bonding of a metallic substrate, in particular made of carbon steel, to rubber.

A coated wire includes a steel alloy coated with a coating comprising one or more amino alkoxy-modified silsesquioxane compounds selected from the group consisting of an amino alkoxy-modified silsesquioxane, an amino/mercaptan co-alkoxy-modified silsesquioxane, an amino/blocked mercaptan co-alkoxy-modified silsesquioxane, or a salt of one or more thereof. A rubber composition and a process for coating wire is also disclosed.

Provided is a steel cord for rubber article reinforcement which has excellent corrosion resistance and productivity without deterioration of adhesion with rubber. A steel cord (1) for rubber article reinforcement, in which plural steel filaments (2) are twisted together, includes: a core having at least one core filament (2c); and a sheath having at least one sheath layer formed by twisting at least one sheath filament (2s) around the core. In this steel cord (1), brass plating is performed on the steel filaments (2) and zinc plating is further performed on the outer circumference of the brass plating of the core filament (2c), and the steel filaments (2) have a diameter d of 0.1 mm to 0.6 mm.

A polyurea comprises at least urea base units of formula —NH—CO—NH— and additional units. The additional units comprise at least, on the one hand, a secondary alcohol functional group and, on the other hand, an ether, thioether or secondary amine functional group in the alpha position with respect to the secondary alcohol functional group. Such a polymer can be used as an adhesion primer for the adhesive bonding of a substrate, for example, glass or metal, to an unsaturated rubber or as corrosion-resistant protective coating for a metal substrate. Metal reinforcers, such as thread, cord, film or plate, coated can also be coated with such a polymer.

A tire includes a carcass structure including at least one carcass ply, a belt structure applied in a radially outer position with respect to the carcass structure and a tread band applied in a radially outer position with respect to the belt structure. The belt structure includes at least one reinforcing strip incorporating a plurality of reinforcing elements arranged substantially in the circumferential direction. The reinforcing elements include at least one high-elongation metal cord. The metal cord includes a plurality of intertwined strands and each strand includes a plurality of filaments. Advantageously all the filaments of each strand have a diameter not greater than 0.175 mm.

At least a metallic part of a metal or metallized reinforcer, at least the surface of which is at least partially metallic, is coated with a polybenzoxazine, the repeat units of which comprise at least one unit corresponding to the formulae (I) or (II): ##STR00001##
in which Z.sub.1 represents an at least divalent, aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic bonding group comprising at least one carbon atom and optionally at least one heteroatom selected from O, S, N and P; X.sub.1 and X.sub.2, which are identical or different, represent O or S; Ar.sub.1 and Ar.sub.2, which are identical or different, represent a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene group; and Z.sub.2 represents O or (S).sub.n, the symbol “n” representing an integer equal to 1 or greater than 1. Such a reinforcement can be used for the reinforcement of a rubber article, in particular a motor vehicle tyre.

A metal or metallized reinforcer, at least the surface of which is at least partially metallic, comprises at least a metallic part coated with a polybenzoxazine, the repeat units of which comprise at least one unit corresponding to the formulae (I) or (II): ##STR00001##
in which Z.sub.1 and Z.sub.2, which are identical or different, represent an at least divalent, aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic bonding group comprising at least one carbon atom and optionally at least one heteroatom selected from O, S, N and P. Such a reinforcement can be used for the reinforcement of a rubber article, in particular a motor vehicle tire.