METHOD FOR TIRE TREAD WITH FUNCTIONALIZED RUBBER

1 . A method for manufacturing a rubber article, the rubber article formed from a cross-linkable rubber composition, the method comprising:

providing a modified rubber component selected from a modified polybutadiene rubber (BR), a modified styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) or combinations thereof, wherein the modified rubber component has been modified with a functional group having a heteroatom selected from oxygen, nitrogen, silicon or combinations thereof and wherein the modified rubber component has a Tg of between −80° C. and −110° C.;

selecting an efficient plasticizing resin, wherein the efficient plasticizing resin, when included in a mixture consisting of 100 phr of the modified rubber component and 67 phr of the efficient plasticizing resin, causes a Tg of the mixture to be at least 14° C. higher than the Tg of the modified rubber component;

mixing together non-productive components of the cross-linkable rubber composition into a non-productive mixture, the non-productive components comprising between 70 phr and 100 phr of the modified rubber component, between 30 phr and 130 phr of the efficient plasticizing resin, and a reinforcement filler;

mixing a curing agent component into the non-productive mixture to convert it to a productive mixture; and

forming the rubber article.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the efficient plasticizing resin comprises:

mixing 100 phr of the modified rubber component with 67 phr of a candidate for the efficient plasticizing resin;

mixing 100 phr of the modified rubber component with 67 phr of a candidate for the efficient plasticizing resin;

identifying the candidate as an efficient plasticizing resin if the determined difference is at least 14° C.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the functional group and the efficient plasticizing resin have a hydrogen bonding interaction.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the modified rubber component is epoxidized with the functional group being an epoxide and wherein the epoxidized rubber component is selected from epoxidized polybutadiene rubber (eBR), epoxidized styrene-butadiene rubber (eSBR) or combinations thereof.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the epoxidized rubber component is the eBR.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the epoxidized rubber component is the eSBR.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a Tg of the modified rubber composition is between 0° C. and −35° C.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein mixing together non-productive components includes between 40 phr and 130 phr of the efficient plasticizing resin.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

curing the rubber article.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the efficient plasticizing resin is a terpene phenolic resin.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the efficient plasticizing resin is a coumarone-indene resin.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the efficient plasticizing resin is a polyamide resin.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the efficient plasticizing resin is a hydrocarbon resin.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement filler is silica.

15 . The method of claim 5 , wherein mixing together non-productive components includes between 40 phr and 130 phr of the efficient plasticizing resin.

16 . The method of claim 6 , wherein mixing together non-productive components includes between 40 phr and 130 phr of the efficient plasticizing resin.

17 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the efficient plasticizing resin is selected from the group consisting of a polyamide resin, a hydrocarbon resin, terpene phenolic resin, a coumarone-indene resin or combinations thereof.

18 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the efficient plasticizing resin is selected from the group consisting of a polyamide resin, a hydrocarbon resin, terpene phenolic resin, a coumarone-indene resin or combinations thereof.