| abstract |
A method for preparing a vulcanizable elastomeric composition, the method comprising the steps of: (a) mixing, at a mixer temperature of at least 25 °C, an elastomer having a silica-interactive functional group, a filler comprising silica, and optionally a catalyst, to form an initial composition, where said initial composition comprises less than 5 parts by weight of any of zinc oxide, sulfure, or cure agents per hundred parts by weight rubber; (b) mixing the initial composition obtained in steps (a), at a surface temperature of from 70 °C to 175 °C, optionally with a silica coupling agent, a silica processing aid and additional filler, to form an intermediate composition; and (c) mixing the intermediate composition obtained in step (b), at a surface temperature lower than a vulcanization temperature, with a cure agent, and, optionally, a cure accelerator, to form a vulcanizable elastomer composition. |