Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC

Bridgestone Corporation

Bridgestone/firestone Research, Inc.

William J O'Briskie

Nicole L Squire

Michael S James

Jamie J McNutt

James P Kleckner

Joseph Lanzarotta

William J Corsaut

John F Pawlikowski

Provided is a composition comprising a rubber and a polymer nano-particle comprising a poly(mono-vinyl aromatic) core and a poly(mono-vinyl aromatic-conjugated diene) surface layer, wherein the core of the polymeric nano-particle has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of between about 150&#xb0; C. and about 600&#xb0; C. Also provided is a composition comprising at least two (mono-vinyl aromatic-conjugated diene) copolymer rubbers and a polymeric nano-particle comprising a poly(mono-vinyl aromatic) core and a poly(mono-vinyl aromatic-conjugated diene) surface layer; wherein the core of the polymeric nano-particle has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of between about 150&#xb0; C. and about 600&#xb0; C., and the poly(mono-vinyl aromatic-conjugated diene) surface layer of the polymeric nano-particle comprises a mono-vinyl aromatic content that is between about 50 percent and about 150 percent that of the mono-vinyl content of one of the (mono-vinyl aromatic-conjugated diene) copolymer rubbers.

Rubber composition containing a polymer nanoparticle

A pneumatic tire having improved conductivity is disclosed herein whereby the tire is provided with at least one conductive pathway extending through the tread surface and contacting the tread cushion. Conductive pathways are created by introducing small volumes of high carbon black concentration. Such pathways provide low electrical resistance and dissipation of static charge accumulation on a motor vehicle.

Conductive pathways in tire treads for reduced static charge buildup

A reinforced high viscosity rubber composition having improved processability such as reduced mixing cycles contains large sized particles of carbon black. The carbon black has low structure and a low DBP absorption number as well as a low iodine number. The rubber composition is useful in various tire rubber compositions such as those requiring a high viscosity, for example an apex rubber.

Large sized carbon black particles to reduce needed mixing energy of high hardness, stiff tire compositions

Rubber compositions such as tire innerliners contain significant amounts of ground, fine size tire curing bladder rubber as a filler. Critical properties such as air retention are not affected and spent or old curing bladder rubber which would otherwise go to a landfill is effectively recycled.

Rubber compositions containing ground curing bladder rubber

Old, spent or worn tires are recycled by removing non-rubber components such as belts, beads, and fabric, and grinding the remaining cured rubber into fine sized particles. The ground particles generally replace equivalent amounts of rubber and additives in various tire formulated components such as tire treads. Good physical properties of the end product are retained.

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Uniontown, OH, United States of America

William J O'Briskie