Patent ID: 6350797
Filing Date: 2002-02-26
Classification: B60C,C08K,Y02T

Abstract:
A process for preparing sulfur-vulcanized, silica-reinforced tires, comprising:preparing a sulfur-vulcanizable, silica-reinforced rubber composition by blending rubber, sulfur, silica and a coupling agent comprising a sulfur-containing norbornanyl silicon compound of the following structure [Syâ€”R]nâ€”SiX4âˆ’n wherein each X is chosen from monovalent hydrocarbon groups or hydrolyzable groups, y is 1 to 5, when y is 1 the compound is an episulfide, and when y is 2 to 5 the sulfur atoms form a polysulfide wherein each sulfur atom is bonded to another sulfur atom and the terminal valences of the polysulfide are bonded to vicinal carbon atoms; n is 1, 2 or 3; R is a polyvalent polycycloaliphatic hydrocarbon radical; and heating to vulcanize the rubber composition.