Tread portion of a tire, and method and elastomeric formulation for producing a tread portion of a tire

Abstract

An elastomeric formulation for producing a tread portion of a tire includes uncrosslinked rubber, reinforcing filler particles, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) particles, curative ingredients, and one or more additives. A tread portion of a tire includes (a) an elastomeric matrix comprising vulcanized rubber and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and (b) reinforcing filler particles dispersed in the elastomeric matrix. A method of making a tread portion of a tire includes: forming a final batch mixture including uncrosslinked rubber, reinforcing filler particles, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) particles, one or more additives, and curative ingredients; rolling/milling the final batch mixture to form a precured rubber sheet; extruding the precured rubber sheet to form a green tread portion; assembling the green tread portion with other tire components; and exposing the green tread portion to heat and pressure to induce vulcanization, thereby forming a tread portion of a tire.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.