Functionalized lignin, rubber containing functionalized lignin and products containing such rubber composition

1. A tire having a component comprised of a rubber composition comprised of:

(A) at least one conjugated diene-based elastomer consisting of at least one of polymers and copolymers consisting of at least one conjugated diene selected from isoprene and 1,3-butadiene, and copolymers consisting of styrene with at least one conjugated diene selected from isoprene and 1,3-butadiene, and

(B) reinforcing filler without synthetic amorphous silica consisting of:

(1) silylated lignosulfonate, or

(2) a combination of silylated lignosulfonate and rubber reinforcing carbon black,

wherein said lignosulfonate contains sulfonate constituents and one or more of resident hydroxyl, methoxyl, carbonyl, and carboxy moieties,

wherein said lignosulfonate is silylated with at least one of (trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate; allyltrimethoxysilane; 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propane-1-thiol; isobutyltrimethoxysilane and 3-(dimethoxysilyl)propane-1-thiol.

2. The tire of claim 1 wherein said reinforcing filler for the rubber composition is said silylated lignosulfonate.

3. The tire of claim 1 wherein said reinforcing filler for the rubber composition consists of said silylated lignosulfonate and rubber reinforcing carbon black.

4. The tire of claim 1 wherein said lignosulfonate is silylated with (trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate.

5. The tire of claim 1 wherein said elastomer consists of at least one of cis 1,4-polyisoprene rubber, cis 1,4-polybutadiene rubber, polybutadiene rubber having a vinyl 1,2 content in a range of about 10 percent to about 90 percent, styrene/butadiene copolymer rubber, styrene/isoprene/butadiene terpolymer rubber, styrene/isoprene copolymer, isoprene/butadiene copolymer rubber, 3,4-polyisoprene rubber, and trans 1,4-polybutadiene rubber.

6. The tire of claim 1 wherein said reinforcing filler consists of said silylated lignosulfonate and carbon black.