Patent ID: 7256231

Claim:
A sulfur-vulcanizable elastomeric compound having an improved physical property, comprising: an elastomer; a reinforcing filler comprising silica or a mixture thereof with carbon black; an alkyl alkoxysilane; a blocked mercaptosilane silica coupling agent comprising a mercaptosilane moiety and a blocking moiety, wherein the weight ratio of the mercaptosilane moiety to the alkyl alkoxysilane is about 0.001:1 to about 0.20:1; a deblocking agent; and a cure package, wherein the elastomer, the silica, the alkyl alkoxysilane, and the blocked mercaptosilane are mixed together, in the absence of the deblocking agent and the cure package, at a temperature of about 160° C. to about 185° C., and wherein the compound exhibits an improved physical property compared to a similar compound containing the alkyl alkoxysilane and a non-blocked mercaptosilane.