A process for manufacturing a masterbatch comprises the following steps: (a) bringing at least one initial polymer comprising at least one carbon-carbon unsaturation into contact with at least one 1,3-dipolar grafting agent bearing at least one nitrile oxide dipole in the presence of at least one organophosphorus additive selected from the group consisting of phosphoric acid triesters, phosphonates, phosphinates, phosphine oxides and the mixtures of these compounds, and (b) recovering the masterbatch obtained in the preceding step. The masterbatch and compositions containing it and also tires comprising such compositions are also disclosed.

A process for preparing a polydiene, the process comprising (i) forming an active catalyst composition by combining a rare-earth compound, an alkylating agent, an aluminoxane, and a halogen compound; and (ii) combining the active catalyst composition with monomer to be polymerized within 12 hours of forming the active catalyst composition.

A process for preparing a polydiene, the process comprising (i) forming an active catalyst composition by combining a rare-earth compound, an alkylating agent, an aluminoxane, and a halogen compound; and (ii) combining the active catalyst composition with monomer to be polymerized within 12 hours of forming the active catalyst composition.

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 method for preparing cis-1,4-polydienes having useful resistance to cold flow, the method comprising the steps of preparing a polymerization system including a reactive polymer by introducing a lanthanide-based catalyst and a conjugated diene monomer and adding a Lewis acid to the polymerization system including a reactive polymer.

A method for preparing cis-1,4-polydienes, the method comprising the steps of preparing a preformed, active lanthanide-based catalyst, aging the active lanthanide-based catalyst for more than 5 days to thereby formed an aged catalyst, and introducing the aged catalyst and conjugated diene monomer to be polymerized to thereby form an active polymerization mixture in which the conjugated diene monomer is polymerized to form a polydiene having a reactive chain end.

A method for preparing cis-1,4-polydienes, the method comprising the steps of preparing a preformed, active lanthanide-based catalyst, aging the active lanthanide-based catalyst for more than 5 days to thereby formed an aged catalyst, and introducing the aged catalyst and conjugated diene monomer to be polymerized to thereby form an active polymerization mixture in which the conjugated diene monomer is polymerized to form a polydiene having a reactive chain end.

The invention discloses an iron bipyridine complex, a preparation method of the same, and use of the same in polymerization of conjugated dienes the invention provides an iron bipyridine complex, which is used as a primary catalyst showing high activity in the polymerization of polyprene to obtain a polymer with a high branched-chain degree. The polymer has the characteristics of a high molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution, and the molecular weight of the polymer can be adjusted by a chain transfer reagent. The obtained poly(conjugated diene) rubber has high branched-chain content and an ultrahigh molecular weight. Because there are a large number of side groups on the molecular chains of the rubber, the rubber is mainly used for preparing high-performance tires and other related rubber products with good wet traction and low friction-induced heat generation.

The present disclosure provides a tire in which cracks or other defects on the surface of a tire component can be reduced to provide an excellent market life. A tire including a rubber layer and satisfying the following relationships (1) and (2): E1/E2×100>25 (1); and E1/E2×T×100>50 (2) wherein E1 denotes the fracture energy (MPa.Math.%) determined by cutting a No. 7 dumbbell-shaped specimen cut out of the rubber layer, heat-treating the specimen with the cut sections attached to each other at 170° C. for 12 minutes, and then stretching and deforming the specimen; E2 denotes the fracture energy (MPa.Math.%) determined by heat-treating a No. 7 dumbbell-shaped specimen cut out of the rubber layer at 170° C. for 12 minutes and then stretching and deforming the specimen; and T denotes the thickness (mm) of the rubber layer.