Tire with component of rubber composition comprised of functionalized styrene/butadiene elastomer, silica and styrene/alpha methylstyrene resin

摘要

The invention relates to a tire having at least one component (e.g. tread) of a rubber composition comprised of a functionalized styrene/butadiene elastomer containing internal silanol and/or siloxy group(s) therein with pendent silanol and/or alkoxy groups of a polymodal (e.g. bimodal) molecular weight distribution and a dispersion therein of a synthetic amorphous silica (e.g. aggregates of precipitated silica) and styrene/alpha methylstyrene resin. In one aspect, said rubber composition may contain at least one additional diene-based elastomer. In another aspect, at least a portion of said synthetic amorphous silica may be in a form of pre-treated precipitated silica aggregates which have been pre-treated to reduce hydroxyl groups on their surface prior to blending with said functionalized styrene/butadiene elastomer.