METHOD OF MAKING A GRAFT POLYMER, COPOLYMER AND TIRE

A method of making a graft copolymer is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of obtaining a first polymer comprising at least one carbon-carbon double bond, wherein the first polymer is derived from at least one first monomer, the at least one first monomer comprising a conjugated diene monomer; obtaining a second polymer capable of exhibiting a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) and comprising a terminal functional group capable of reacting with the carbon-carbon double bond; reacting the second polymer with the first polymer to form a graft copolymer, the graft copolymer comprising a backbone derived from the first polymer and sidechains derived from the second polymer. Also, copolymer comprising a polymeric backbone chain derived from a monomer comprising at least one conjugated diene monomer and optionally at least one vinyl aromatic monomer such as styrene, and polymeric sidechains bonded to the backbone chain, the sidechains comprising a polymer capable of exhibiting a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) is disclosed. The copolymer may be used in a tire tread.