Preparation of rubber composition containing graphite platelets and tire with component

A method of preparing a sulfur curable rubber composition is comprised of:

• (A) preparing a masterbatch comprised of
• blending from about 3 to about 20 parts by weight of graphite platelets consisting of exfoliated graphite platelets with an organic solvent solution containing 100 parts by weight of at least one conjugated diene-based elastomer to form the masterbatch after which the masterbatch is dried by removing the organic solvent, wherein said diene-based elastomer consists of at least one of cis 1,4-polyisoprene, cis 1,4-polybutadiene and styrene/butadiene elastomer,
• (B) preparing a subsequent sulfur curable rubber composition comprised of blending with said masterbatch up to about 40 parts by weight of at least one additional conjugated diene-based elastomer, where said additional diene-based elastomer consists of at least one of cis 1,4-polyisoprene, cis 1,4-polybutadiene and styrene/butadiene elastomer, and from about 20 to about 120 parts by weight of reinforcing filler per 100 parts by weight of the total of said conjugated diene-based elastomer(s) comprised of a combination of rubber reinforcing carbon black and precipitated silica together with a coupling agent for said precipitated silica having a moiety reactive with hydroxyl groups on said precipitated silica and another different moiety interactive with said conjugated diene-based elastomer(s), and
• (C) processing said prepared sulfur curable rubber composition by at least one of extrusion, calendaring, and milling to provide a rubber composition containing a dispersion of said graphite platelets in parallel alignment with each other.