A pneumatic tire with a double layer innerliner structure bonded to an
inner face of the tire carcass for reducing noise generated by air
vibrations inside of the tire's air chamber, and a method of making the
tire. The double layer structure includes a first innerliner layer of
non-foamed rubber adjacent the carcass and a second innerliner layer of
foamed porous rubber forming an innermost surface of the tire. The foamed
porous rubber is formed by curing a rubber composition having a
nitrogen-releasing foaming agent dispersed therein that decomposes at the
vulcanization temperature to release nitrogen gas. The second innerliner
layer further has an open-celled structure with a plurality of open
cavities that are formed by physically altering the innermost surface of
the foamed innerliner layer.