A DIENE-BASED ELASTOMER AND A RUBBER COMPOSITION AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A BENZOXAZINE-FUNCTIONALIZED ELASTOMER

A benzoxazine-functionalized diene-based elastomer is disclosed. It comprises polymer chains having repeat units which include conjugated diolefin monomers, and at least one benzoxazine connected to the polymer chains via a spacer. The spacer has a length in a range of from 3 to 8 atoms. Also, a rubber composition comprising 30 to 200 phr of a filler and 10 to 100 phr of said benzoxazine-functionalized diene-based elastomer is disclosed. A method of manufacturing a benzoxazine-functionalized elastomer comprises the steps: providing an amine-functionalized elastomer comprising at least one polymer chain, an amine group, and a spacer connecting the amine group with the polymer chain; and reacting said functionalized elastomer with a phenol, preferably in the presence of an aldehyde derivative, to obtain the benzoxazine-functionalized elastomer.