Tyres made from trees cheaper, more fuel efficient: Research
Vehicle owners around the world in the near future might drive on tyres that are partly made out of trees - which could cost less,
perform better and save on fuel and energy.
Wood science researchers at Oregon State University in US found the potential of microcrystalline cellulose - a product that can be made easily from almost any type of plant fibers - to partially replace silica as a reinforcing filler in the manufacture of rubber tyres.
The study suggests that this approach might decrease the energy required to produce the tyre, reduce costs, and better resist heat buildup.
Early tests indicate that such products would have comparable traction on cold or wet pavement, be just as strong, and provide even higher fuel efficiency than traditional tyres in hot weather.
"We were surprised at how favourable the results were for the use of this material," said Kaichang Li, an associate professor of wood science and engineering in the OSU College of Forestry, who conducted this research with graduate student Wen Bai.
"This could lead to a new generation of automotive tyre technology, one of the first fundamental changes to come around in a long time," Li said.
Cellulose fiber has been used for some time as reinforcement in some types of rubber and automotive products, such as belts, hoses and insulation - but never in tyres, where the preferred fillers are carbon black and silica.
Carbon black, however, is made from increasingly expensive oil, and the processing of silica is energy-intensive. Both products are very dense and reduce the fuel efficiency of automobiles.
In this study, OSU researchers replaced up to about 12 percent of the silica used in conventional tyre manufacture. This decreased the amount of energy needed to compound the rubber composite, improved the heat resistance of the product, and retained tensile strength.
More research is needed to confirm the long-term durability of tyres made with partial replacement of silica, Li said. Further commercial development of this technology by a tire manufacturer could be undertaken at any time, he said.
The newest findings were recently published in a journal, Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing.
Wood science researchers at Oregon State University in US found the potential of microcrystalline cellulose - a product that can be made easily from almost any type of plant fibers - to partially replace silica as a reinforcing filler in the manufacture of rubber tyres.
The study suggests that this approach might decrease the energy required to produce the tyre, reduce costs, and better resist heat buildup.
Early tests indicate that such products would have comparable traction on cold or wet pavement, be just as strong, and provide even higher fuel efficiency than traditional tyres in hot weather.
"We were surprised at how favourable the results were for the use of this material," said Kaichang Li, an associate professor of wood science and engineering in the OSU College of Forestry, who conducted this research with graduate student Wen Bai.
"This could lead to a new generation of automotive tyre technology, one of the first fundamental changes to come around in a long time," Li said.
Cellulose fiber has been used for some time as reinforcement in some types of rubber and automotive products, such as belts, hoses and insulation - but never in tyres, where the preferred fillers are carbon black and silica.
Carbon black, however, is made from increasingly expensive oil, and the processing of silica is energy-intensive. Both products are very dense and reduce the fuel efficiency of automobiles.
In this study, OSU researchers replaced up to about 12 percent of the silica used in conventional tyre manufacture. This decreased the amount of energy needed to compound the rubber composite, improved the heat resistance of the product, and retained tensile strength.
More research is needed to confirm the long-term durability of tyres made with partial replacement of silica, Li said. Further commercial development of this technology by a tire manufacturer could be undertaken at any time, he said.
The newest findings were recently published in a journal, Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing.
Source: Economic Times
