Pneumatic tire with post cure sealant layer

1. A method making a pneumatic tire, comprising the steps of:

mixing a sealant composition comprising an elastomer, a filler, a diluent, a quinoid curing agent, an oxidant co-curative; and a cure modifier of formula 1:

wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently H or C1 to C4 alkyl, or R 1 and R 2 taken together form a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene group; R 3 and R 4 are independently H, —OH —NH 2 , C1 to C4 alkyl, or —OR 5 where R 5 is C1 to C4 alkyl, with the proviso that when R 1 and R 2 are taken together to form a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene group, R 5 is C1 to C3 alkyl;

wherein the sealant composition further comprises a cure retarder selected from ethylene glycol, alkyl-substituted ethylene glycols, ethylene diamine, and alkyl-substituted ethylene diamines; and

applying the sealant composition to an inner surface of a cured tire; and curing the sealant composition.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cure modifier is selected from the group consisting of phthalic acid, monoalkyl phthalates, dialkyl phthalates, phthalic acid monoamides, phthalic acid diamides, phthalaldehyde, and o-diacetylbenzene.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cure modifier is selected from the group consisting of dimethyl phthalate, diethylphthalate, and dipropylphthalate.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cure modifier is selected from the group consisting of maleic acid, monoalkyl maleates, dialkyl maleates, maleic acid monoamides, maleic acid diamides, citraconic acid, monoalkyl citraconate, dialkyl citraconates, citraconic acid monoamides, citraconic acid diamides, and 2-butenedial-2Z.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cure modifier is selected from the group consisting of dimethylmaleate, diethylmaleate, dipropylmaleate, and dibutylmaleate.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cure modifier is selected from the group consisting of trimellitic acid, monoalkyl trimellitates, dialkyltrimellitates, trialkyltrimellitates, hemimellitic acid, monoalkyl hemimellitates, dialky hemimellitates, trialkyl hemimellitates, pyromellitic acid, monoalkyl pyromellitates, dialkyl pyromellitates, trialkyl pyromellitates, and tetraalkyl pyromellitates.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the elastomer is selected from the group consisting of butyl rubber, halogenated butyl rubber, EPDM, styrene-butadiene rubber, acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene rubber, polybutadiene, natural rubber, and synthetic polyisoprene.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oxidant co-curative is selected from the group consisting of diaroyl peroxides, diacyl peroxides and peroxyesters.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the quinoid is selected from the group consisting of benzoquinone dioxime, p,p-di-benzoylquinone dioxime, and dibenzoyl-p-quinone dioxime.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oxidant co-curative is benzoyl peroxide.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the diluent is a low molecular weight elastomer with a number average molecular weight Mn ranging from 200 to 5,000.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sealant further comprises at least one of oil and resin.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the diluent is polyisobutylene.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sealant composition further comprises from 1 to 10 phr of a metal oxide selected from zinc oxide, magnesium oxide, and calcium oxide.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of mixing comprises the steps of:

combining the oxidant co-curative and a portion of the diluent to form a component A;

combining the remaining ingredients to form a component B; and

mixing component A with component B to form the sealant composition.

16. A pneumatic tire made by the method of claim 1 .