Methods for treating inner liners, inner liners resulting therefrom and tires containing such inner liners

Abstract

Methods for treating a cured inner liner as well as treated, cured inner liners resulting from such methods are disclosed. Also disclosed are tires containing the treated inner liners. The methods include treatment of the lower surface of inner liner surface with a rubber-containing liquid to produce a rubber-containing film thereupon.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for producing a tire comprising a cured inner liner and at least one component positioned radially inward of the cured inner liner, the method comprising:
 a. providing a tire body comprising a cured inner liner comprising rubber, a majority of which comprises butyl rubber (optionally halogenated), wherein the cured inner liner comprises an upper and a lower surface with the lower surface positioned radially inward within the tire;   b. treating the lower surface of the cured inner liner with a rubber-containing liquid wherein the rubber-containing liquid comprises at least one conjugated diene monomer-containing rubber, polyurethane and at least one solvent;   c. allowing the rubber-containing liquid to dry upon the treated lower surface of the cured inner liner, thereby producing a rubber-containing film upon the lower surface of the cured inner liner; and   d. adhering the component to the rubber-containing film upon the lower surface of the cured inner liner.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the rubber-containing liquid comprises:
 100 parts of butyl rubber, halogenated butyl rubber, or a combination thereof as the at least one conjugated diene monomer-containing rubber, and   10-50 parts of polyurethane.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one conjugated diene monomer-containing rubber of the rubber-containing liquid comprises 100 parts of at least one of the following: butyl rubber, halogenated butyl rubber, polyisoprene, natural rubber, polybutadiene, or chlorinated polyisoprene, and the polyurethane is present in the rubber-containing liquid in an amount of 10-50 phr. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one solvent of the rubber-containing liquid comprises a majority by weight of at least one hydrocarbon solvent. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one solvent of the rubber-containing liquid comprises a majority by weight of at least one halogenated aromatic hydrocarbon solvent at least one halogenated C1-C6 alkane, at least one halogenated C2-C6 alkene, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one radially inward component directly contacts the film-containing lower surface of the cured inner liner. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (d) comprises the use of a separate adhesive to adhere the at least one radially inward component to the film-containing lower surface of the cured inner liner. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one radially inward component is selected from the group consisting of a noise barrier, an air barrier layer, a sealant layer, a run-flat insert, an electronic communication module, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one radially inward component consists of a noise barrier. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the conjugated diene monomer-containing rubber of the rubber-containing liquid consists of butyl rubber, halogenated butyl rubber, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the rubber-containing liquid further comprises at least one reinforcing filler in an amount of 5-50 phr. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the reinforcing filler consists of carbon black. 
     
     
         13 . A cured tire comprising a tire body, a cured inner liner, and at least one component positioned radially inward of the cured inner liner,
 the cured inner liner comprising rubber, a majority of which comprises butyl rubber (optionally halogenated),   wherein the cured inner liner has an upper surface and a lower surface with the lower surface positioned radially inward within the tire and,
 the lower surface of the cured inner liner includes a rubber-containing film comprising at least one conjugated diene monomer-containing rubber and polyurethane, and 
 the rubber-containing film has a thickness of about 0.1 to about 25 micrometers, and 
   the at least one component positioned radially inward of the cured inner liner is adhered to the rubber-containing film of the lower surface of the cured inner liner.   
     
     
         14 . The cured tire of  claim 11 , wherein the rubber-containing film comprises 100 parts of butyl rubber, halogenated butyl rubber, or a combination thereof as the at least one conjugated diene monomer-containing rubber, and 10-50 parts of polyurethane. 
     
     
         15 . The cured tire of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one conjugated diene monomer-containing rubber of the rubber-containing film comprises 100 parts of at least one of the following: butyl rubber, halogenated butyl rubber, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, natural rubber, or chlorinated polyisoprene, and the polyurethane is present in the rubber-containing film in an amount of 10-50 phr. 
     
     
         16 . The cured tire of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one radially inward component comprises at least one of: a noise barrier, an air barrier layer, a sealant layer, a run-flat insert, or an electronic communication module. 
     
     
         17 . The cured tire of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one radially inward component consists of a noise barrier. 
     
     
         18 . The cured tire of  claim 11 , wherein the conjugated diene monomer-containing rubber of the rubber-containing film consists of butyl rubber, halogenated butyl rubber, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the rubber-containing film further comprises at least one reinforcing filler in an amount of 5-50 phr. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the reinforcing filler consists of carbon black.