Aqueous coating dispersion

A coated rubber article, comprising:

• a rubber article to which a sprayable aqueous coating dispersion has been applied to form a rubber coating layer, wherein the coating dispersion comprises:
• a rubber dispersion comprising a rubber binder dispersed in an aqueous medium;
• a sulfur-containing vulcanization agent;
• and
• a platy inorganic material,
• wherein either:
• i) the coating dispersion is vulcanized after application to the rubber article at a temperature of from 100° C. to less than 160° C. for up to 1 hour to form the rubber coating layer having a melt temperature of greater than 60° C.;
• or
• ii) the coating dispersion is pre-vulcanized at a temperature of from 70° C. to less than the boiling point of the aqueous medium prior to application to the rubber article.

A sprayable pre-vulcanized coating dispersion prepared from a coating dispersion comprising:

• a rubber dispersion comprising a rubber binder dispersed in an aqueous medium;
• a sulfur-containing vulcanization agent;
• and
• a platy inorganic material,
• wherein the coating dispersion is pre-vulcanized at a temperature of from 70° C. to less than the boiling point of the aqueous medium to form the pre-vulcanized coating dispersion.