Rubber composition for base tread

Abstract

Provided is a rubber composition for base tread which can improve steering stability, rolling resistance and durability without deteriorating extrusion processability, comprising 1.8 to 3.5 parts by mass of sulfur and 36 to 60 parts by mass of filler for reinforcement comprising not less than 7 parts by mass of silica based on 100 parts by mass of a rubber component comprising: (a) not less than 0% by mass and not more than 20% by mass of (a1) a polybutadiene rubber comprising 2.5 to 20% by mass of 1,2-syndiotactic polybutadiene crystal and/or (a2) a butadiene rubber synthesized with a rare earth containing catalyst; (b) more than 5% by mass and not more than 60% by mass of (b1) a predetermined tin-modified polybutadiene rubber and/or (b2) a modified butadiene rubber modified with a predetermined compound; and (c) 40 to 75% by mass of a diene rubber other than (a) and (b).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A base tread rubber composition, wherein the rubber composition comprises:
 1.8 to 3.5 parts by mass of sulfur,   38 to 60 parts by mass of a filler for reinforcement consisting essentially of 7 to 55 parts by mass of silica with a BET specific surface area of 50 to 300 m 2 /g and 5 to 40 parts by mass of carbon black with a BET specific surface area of 30 to 100 m 2 /g, and   a rubber component,   wherein the above parts by mass ranges are based on 100 parts by mass of the rubber component which comprises diene rubber (b) as follows:   (b) more than 5% by mass and not more than 60% by mass of   (b2) a modified butadiene rubber modified with a compound represented by the following formula (1):   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           wherein R 1 , R 2  and R 3  are the same or different, and each represents an alkyl, alkoxy, silyloxy, acetal, carboxyl, or mercapto group or derivatives thereof, R 4  and R 5  are the same or different, and each represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group and may be bonded to each other to form a ring structure with a nitrogen atom; and n represents an integer. 
         
       
     
     
         2 . The base tread rubber composition of  claim 1 , wherein the rubber component comprises diene rubber (a) as follows:
 (a) greater than 0% by mass and less than 20% by mass of   (a1) a polybutadiene rubber comprising 2.5 to 20% by mass of 1,2-syndiotactic polybutadiene crystal and/or   (a2) a butadiene rubber synthesized with a rare earth containing catalyst.   
     
     
         3 . The base tread rubber composition of  claim 2 , wherein the diene rubber (a) is (a1). 
     
     
         4 . The base tread rubber composition of  claim 2 , wherein the diene rubber (a) is (a2). 
     
     
         5 . The base tread rubber composition of  claim 2 , wherein the content of the diene rubber (a) is greater than or equal to 10% by mass and less than 20% by mass and the content of the diene rubber (b) is more than 5% by mass and not more than 50% by mass. 
     
     
         6 . The base tread rubber composition of  claim 1 , wherein the diene rubber (b) is diene rubber (b2) and a tin-modified polybutadiene rubber prepared with a lithium initiator and having a content of tin atoms of 50 to 3,000 ppm, a vinyl bond amount of 5 to 50% by mass and a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) of not more than 2.0. 
     
     
         7 . The base tread rubber composition of  claim 1 , comprising 1.0 to 5.0 parts by mass of a mold release agent which is at least one member selected from the group consisting of a metal salt of fatty acid, a fatty acid amide and an amide ester based on 100 parts by mass of the rubber component. 
     
     
         8 . The base tread rubber composition of  claim 1 , wherein the rubber composition is produced with a production method including three or more kneading steps comprising a base kneading step 1, a base kneading step 2, and a final kneading step. 
     
     
         9 . A tire having a base tread formed from the base tread rubber composition of  claim 1 .