Patent ID: 8017696

Claim:
A method for preparing a tire, the method comprising the steps of: mixing ingredients including from about 25 to about 75 parts by weight phr silica, from about 0.1 to about 6 parts by weight of titanium (IV) 2-ethyl-1,3-hexanediolate, per hundred parts by weight silica, and at least one elastomer to form a first mixture, where the elastomer is a homopolymer or copolymer of conjugated C 4 -C 12 dienes, C 8 -C 18 monovinyl aromatic monomers, and C 6 -C 20 trienes, and where from about 5 to about 100% of the elastomer is functionalized with a silica-reactive functional group; cooling the first mixture; further mixing the first mixture with additional ingredients including from about 0.01 to about 25 parts by weight silica coupling agent per hundred parts by weight silica and optionally, a silica reactive dispersing agent, to form an intermediate mixture; adding ingredients including a curative to the intermediate mixture to form a vulcanizable mixture; mixing the vulcanizable mixture; forming the vulcanizable mixture into a tire component; building a tire by including the tire component; and curing the tire.