RUBBER COMPOSITION FOR STIFFNESS

A rubber composition for incorporation in an engineered article comprises, based on 100 parts by weight (phr) ethylene-propylene-diene copolymer (EPDM) elastomer, from about 5 phr to about 100 phr reinforcing filler preferably comprising a prehydrophobated precipitated silica. In the contemplated embodiment, the EPDM has a diene content that is greater than five percent (5%). The diene also contains branching.