A tire with a built-in puncture sealant comprising a supporting tire carcass comprised of one or more layers of ply, an outer circumferential tread, and a radially inner layer, a pair of beads, sidewalls extending radially inward from the axial outer edges of the tread portion to join the respective beads, a sealant comprising a butyl ionomer containing degradation product, disposed inwardly from said tire carcass inner layer, wherein said sealant provides self-sealing properties to the tire.