| abstract |
The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire comprising a tread, the tread comprising a rubber composition comprising a diene elastomer, a pre-hydrophobated precipitated silica, a blocked mercaptosilane, a terpene-phenol resin, and a low molecular weight polybutadiene functionalized with a hydroxyl functional group, wherein the pre-hydrophobated precipitated silica is hydrophobated prior to its addition the rubber composition by treatment with at least one silane selected from the group consisting of alkylsilanes, alkoxysilanes, organoalkoxysilyl polysulfides and organomercaptoalkoxysilanes and optionally at least one dispersing aid selected from the group consisting of fatty acids, diethylene glycols, polyethylene glycols, fatty acid esters of hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated C 5 or C 6 sugars, polyoxyethylene derivatives of fatty acid esters of hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated C 5 or C 6 sugars. |