SELF-SEALING PNEUMATIC TIRE WITH NOISE SUPPRESSION CHARACTERISTICS AND ASSOCIATED METHOD OF MANUFACTURE

A cured pneumatic tire (2) is disclosed comprising a generally toroidal-shaped carcass (4), a radially outer circumferential tread (8), two spaced beads (5), sidewalls (3) connecting said tread (2) to said beads (5), and a sealant layer (6) which is disposed radially inwardly from the carcass (4). The sealant layer (6) comprises a dispersed phase and a continuous phase. The dispersed phase comprises a sealant material and the continuous phase comprises a foamed polymeric material. Also, a method of manufacturing a cured pneumatic tire (2) is disclosed. The method comprises building an unvulcanized tire with a layer which is disposed radially inwardly from the carcass (4). The layer comprises a dispersed phase and a continuous phase, wherein the dispersed phase comprises a presealant material which reacts or breaks down at a tire vulcanization temperature to produce a sealant material, and wherein the continuous phase comprises an elastomeric material or composition that foams during vulcanization. The method further includes shaping and vulcanizing said unvulcanized tire in a tire mold and curing the unvulcanized tire under conditions of heat and pressure to produce the cured tire (2).