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

1 .- 18 . (canceled)

19 . A coated steel reinforcing element coated with an adhesive layer coating at least a portion of the reinforcing element, wherein the adhesive layer comprises an adhesive composition comprising:

at least one unsaturated elastomer latex; and

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 are unsubstituted.

20 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 19 , further comprising one or more threadlike reinforcing elements, each comprising a steel core.

21 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 20 , wherein the adhesive layer directly coats a layer of a metal coating directly coating at least a portion of the steel core of the or each threadlike reinforcing element.

22 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 21 , wherein the metal of the layer of the metal coating directly coating at least a portion of the steel core of the or each threadlike reinforcing element is chosen from zinc, copper and alloys thereof.

23 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 20 , wherein the adhesive layer directly coats a nonmetallic intermediate adhesive layer coating the steel core of the or each threadlike reinforcing element.

24 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 19 , wherein the aromatic aldehyde bears at least two aldehyde functional groups.

25 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 19 , 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 19 , 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 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 19 , wherein the aromatic aldehyde is of general formula (A):

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 selected from the group consisting of furfuraldehyde, 2,5-furandicarboxaldehyde and mixtures thereof.

31 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 19 , wherein the polyphenol is selected from the group consisting of phloroglucinol, 2,2′,4,4′-tetrahydroxydiphenyl sulphide and mixtures thereof.

32 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 19 , wherein the unsaturated elastomer of the latex is a diene elastomer.

33 . The coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 32 , wherein the diene elastomer is selected from the group consisting of polybutadienes, butadiene copolymers, polyisoprenes, isoprene copolymers, vinylpyridine/styrene/butadiene terpolymers and mixtures thereof.

34 . A process for the manufacture of a steel reinforcing element coated at least in part with an adhesive layer comprising the step of:

coating at least a portion of the steel reinforcing element with the adhesive layer, wherein the adhesive layer comprises an adhesive composition comprising:

at least one unsaturated elastomer latex; and

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 are unsubstituted.

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

forming an adhesive layer by coating, at least in part, the steel reinforcing element with an adhesive composition comprising:

at least one unsaturated elastomer latex; and

at least one phenol/aldehyde resin based on at least:

one aromatic aldehyde bearing at least one aldehyde functional group, 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 are unsubstituted.

36 . A rubber composite comprising a rubber matrix in which at least one coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 19 is embedded.

37 . A tire comprising at least one coated steel reinforcing element according to claim 19 .

38 . A tire comprising a rubber composite according to claim 36 .