Tire and tread comprising a bis-alkoxysilane tetrasulfide as coupling agent

A process for preparing a tire having accelerated vulcanization kinetics, incorporating a sulfur-vulcanizable elastomeric composition based on a reinforcing inorganic filler, wherein said process comprises the following steps:

• incorporating into a diene elastomer, in a mixer:
• a reinforcing inorganic filler;
• a bis-alkoxysilane tetrasulfide;
• thermomechanically kneading the entire mixture, in one or more stages, until a maximum temperature of between about 110° C. and about 190° C. is reached;
• cooling the entire mixture to a temperature of less than about 100° C.;
• then incorporating a vulcanization system;
• kneading the entire mixture until a maximum temperature less than about 110° C. is reached;
• calendering or extruding the elastomeric composition thus obtained in the form of a tire or a rubber profiled element incorporated as semi-finished product in the tire,
• wherein said tetrasulfide of alkoxysilane satisfies formula (I):
• in which:
• the symbols R1, which may be identical or different, each represent a monovalent hydrocarbon group selected from the group consisting of alkyls, whether straight-chain or branched, having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms and alkoxyalkyls, whether straight-chain or branched, having from 2 to 8 carbon atoms;
• the symbols R2 and R3, which may be identical or different, each represent a monovalent hydrocarbon group selected from the group consisting of alkyls, whether straight-chain or branched, having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms and the phenyl radical;
• and
• x is between about 3 and about 5.