Rubber composition, method of formulating the composition and vehicle tire made from the composition

A method of formulating a composition, which comprises:

• forming a mixture comprising at least one rubber component and mixing;
• adding to the mixture at least one filler and mixing;
• adding to the mixture as an additional filler, gel particles comprising a rubber, having a particle size between about 3.times.10.sup.-9 and about 1.times.10.sup.-6 m and a swelling index in toluene of about 1 to about 15 and whose surface has electrophilic centers, and mixing;
• and adding to the mixture a substance acting as a coupling agent between the gel particles of the additional filler and having one of the following structures:
• A--R--A
• wherein A is a nucleophilic group, and R is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having a molecular weight of up to about 10.sup.6 g/mol or siloxane group having a molecular weight of up to about 10.sup.6 g/mol.

A composition comprising a rubber mixture that can be vulcanized with a vulcanizing agent which comprises:

• a) at least one rubber component,
• b) at least one filler,
• c) as an additional filler, gel particles consisting essentially of a rubber, having a particle size between about 3.times.10.sup.-9 and about 1.times.10.sup.-6 m and a swelling index in toluene of about 1 to about 15 and whose surface has electrophilic centers,
• d) a substance acting as a coupling agent between the gel particles of the additional filler and having the following structure:
• A--R--A
• wherein A is a nucleophilic group, and is selected from --NH.sub.2, --SH, --Si--OH, --OH, or --NHR.sup.1 wherein R.sup.1 is an alkyl group having up to about 3 carbon atoms or a phenyl group;
• and
• R is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having a molecular weight of up to about 10.sup.6 g/mol or siloxane group having a molecular weight of up to about 10.sup.6 g/mol.