RUBBER COMPOSITION HAVING HIGH TENACITY, HIGH MODULUS AND GOOD CUT GROWTH RESISTANCE

It is desirable to increase the modulus of rubbers utilized in a wide variety of applications. For example, it is typically desirable to increase the modulus of rubber compounds which are utilized in tire tread base compositions and in tire wire coat compounds. Unfortunately, most conventional techniques for increasing the modulus of a rubber compound are detrimental to other rubber properties, such as hysteresis and cut growth resistance. By utilizing the techniques of this invention rubber compounds can be prepared which exhibit high tensile strength, high modulus, and good cut growth resistance. The subject invention specifically relates to a process for preparing a highly dispersed blend of a polyester in an elastomer which comprises (1) blending a solution of a rubber in an organic solvent with a solution of a polyester in an organic solvent to produce a dispersion containing said rubber and said polyester, and (2) recovering the highly dispersed blend from the dispersion. This process can be used to increase the modulus of virtually any type of rubber including cis-1,4-polybutadiene, styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) polyisoprene, isoprene-butadiene rubber, isoprene-butadiene-styrene rubber (SIBR), nitrile rubber, and the like.