STEEL REINFORCING ELEMENT COATED WITH AN ADHESIVE COMPOSITION CONTAINING AROMATIC ALDEHYDE AND POLYPHENOL

1 .- 20 . (canceled)

21 . A coated steel reinforcing element comprising:

one or more threadlike reinforcing elements, each comprising a steel core; and

an adhesive layer coating at least a portion of the steel core of the or each threadlike reinforcing element, the coated steel reinforcing element being devoid of a metal layer between the steel core of the or each threadlike reinforcing element and the adhesive layer, the adhesive layer comprising an adhesive composition comprising at least one phenol/aldehyde resin based on at least:

one aromatic aldehyde bearing at least one aldehyde functional group and comprising at least one aromatic nucleus; and

one polyphenol comprising one or more aromatic nucleus/nuclei,

wherein, if there is only one aromatic nucleus, the one aromatic nucleus bears two or three hydroxyl functional groups in the meta position with respect to each other or with respect to one another, the remainder of the aromatic nucleus being unsubstituted, and

wherein, if there is more than one aromatic nuclei, at least two of them each bear two or three hydroxyl functional groups in the meta position with respect to each other or with respect to one another and the two positions ortho to at least one of these hydroxyl functional groups being unsubstituted.

22 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 21 , wherein the adhesive layer directly coats at least a portion of the steel core of the or each threadlike reinforcing element.

23 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 21 , wherein the adhesive layer directly coats a nonmetallic intermediate adhesive layer directly coating at least a portion of the steel core of the or each threadlike reinforcing element.

24 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 21 , wherein the aromatic aldehyde bears at least two aldehyde functional groups.

25 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 21 , wherein the at least one aromatic nucleus of the aromatic aldehyde bears two aldehyde functional groups.

26 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 21 , wherein the at least one aromatic nucleus of the aromatic aldehyde is a benzene nucleus.

27 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 26 , wherein the aromatic aldehyde is selected from the group consisting of 1,2-benzenedicarboxaldehyde, 1,3-benzenedicarboxaldehyde, 1,4-benzenedicarboxaldehyde, 2-hydroxybenzene-1,3,5-tricarbaldehyde and the mixtures thereof.

28 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 27 , wherein the aromatic aldehyde is 1,4-benzenedicarboxaldehyde.

29 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 21 , wherein the aromatic aldehyde is of general formula (I):

in which X comprises N, S or O, and R represents —H or —CHO.

30 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 29 , wherein the aromatic aldehyde is of general formula (I′):

31 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 29 , wherein X represents NH, S or O.

32 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 29 , wherein the aromatic aldehyde is selected from the group consisting of furfuraldehyde, 2,5-furandicarboxaldehyde and the mixtures thereof.

33 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 21 , wherein the polyphenol is selected from the group consisting of phloroglucinol, 2,2′,4,4′-tetrahydroxydiphenyl sulphide and the mixtures thereof.

34 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 21 , wherein the adhesive composition comprises an unsaturated elastomer latex.

35 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 34 , wherein the unsaturated elastomer of the latex is a diene elastomer.

36 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 35 , wherein the diene elastomer is selected from the group consisting of polybutadienes, butadiene copolymers, polyisoprenes, isoprene copolymers, vinylpyridine/styrene/butadiene terpolymers and mixtures thereof.

37 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 21 , wherein the steel comprises at least 0.5%, limit included, by weight of chromium.

38 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 37 , wherein the steel comprises at least 5%, limit included, by weight of chromium.

39 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 38 , wherein the steel comprises at least 15%, limit included, by weight of chromium.

40 . A process for the manufacture of a coated steel reinforcing element comprising one or more threadlike reinforcing elements, each comprising a steel core, and an adhesive layer coating at least a portion of the steel core of the or each threadlike reinforcing element, the coated steel reinforcing element being devoid of a metal layer between the steel core of the or each threadlike reinforcing element and the adhesive layer, said process comprising the steps of:

coating at least a portion of the steel core of the or each threadlike reinforcing element with the adhesive layer comprising an adhesive composition comprising at least one phenol/aldehyde resin based on at least:

one aromatic aldehyde bearing at least one aldehyde functional group and comprising at least one aromatic nucleus; and

one polyphenol comprising one or more aromatic nucleus/nuclei,

wherein, if there is only one aromatic nucleus, the one aromatic nucleus bears two or three hydroxyl functional groups in the meta position with respect to each other or with respect to one another, the remainder of the aromatic nucleus being unsubstituted, and

wherein, if there is more than one aromatic nuclei, at least two of them each bear two or three hydroxyl functional groups in the meta position with respect to each other or with respect to one another and the two positions ortho to at least one of these hydroxyl functional groups being unsubstituted.

41 . A method of adhering a steel reinforcing element to a rubber matrix comprising the step of:

using an adhesive composition to form an adhesive layer coating one or more threadlike reinforcing elements, each comprising a steel core, the coated steel reinforcing element being devoid of a metal layer between the steel core of the or each threadlike reinforcing element and the adhesive layer, the adhesive composition comprising at least one phenol/aldehyde resin based on at least:

one aromatic aldehyde bearing at least one aldehyde functional group and comprising at least one aromatic nucleus; and

one polyphenol comprising one or more aromatic nucleus/nuclei,

wherein, if there is only one aromatic nucleus, the one aromatic nucleus bears two or three hydroxyl functional groups in the meta position with respect to each other or with respect to one another, the remainder of the aromatic nucleus being unsubstituted, and

wherein, if there is more than one aromatic nuclei, at least two of them each bear two or three hydroxyl functional groups in the meta position with respect to each other or with respect to one another and the two positions ortho to at least one of these hydroxyl functional groups being unsubstituted.

42 . A rubber composite reinforced with at least one coated steel reinforcing element comprising a rubber matrix in which the coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 21 is embedded.

43 . A tire comprising at least one coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 21 .

44 . A tire comprising the rubber composite according to claim 42 .