Evonik, one of the world leaders in speciality chemicals, is developing a new process that could make more recycled rubber useable for new tyres.

Because of its chemical structure, recycled rubber has been very limited in its suitability for use in new tyres. However, Evonik's research team has made significant progress with a new process that may allow for the use of up to four times as much recycled rubber in new tyres as previously possible. The development project by Evonik additionally bolsters the tyre manufacturers' extensive sustainability endeavours.

Normal production of new tyre rubber involves vulcanising raw rubber, sulphur and other ingredients. Applying pressure and heat causes the sulphur to link with the rubber's long carbon chains, creating a strong, three-dimensional network. That is also how tyre rubber from tyres nearing their end of life is structured. Nevertheless, the material's characteristics are different from non-vulcanised rubber because it has previously undergone vulcanisation. Currently, the top limit imposed by trade associations in the tyre recycling industry is an admixture of roughly five percent ground tyre rubber from end-of-life tyres. As a result, only a small proportion of recycled rubber powder is currently employed again in the production of new tyres. Furthermore, a lot of tyres nearing their end of life are still thermally reprocessed to be used as fuel for energy production. However, Evonik’s research team has now succeeded in reversing the vulcanisation of rubber to a large extent.

Christian Mani, Project Manager – Circularity, Evonik, said, “That brings us much closer to the key targets of sustainability and resource efficiency in this sector. Rubber is far too valuable a raw material to be used only once in tyres. We want to incorporate it into a circular system. By adding a special formulation containing vinyl silanes, the firm bonds in the recycled rubber can be split. We cleave the sulphur bridges in the rubber, yet leave as many of the long carbon chains as possible untouched.”

These vinyl silanes have already been successfully used for devulcanisation by the study team. In contrast to the above-mentioned technical criterion of about five percent, the percentage of recycle in the rubber blend could be increased to as much as 20 percent in testing. With test series and trials, Evonik is currently moving towards the next significant goals. Finding a solution that clients may use to industrial production in the near future is the goal. "Ultimately, our approach must prove convincing on a large, commercial scale,” added Mani.

The project, developed in partnership with Goodyear Tire & Rubber, represents a significant improvement over conventional metal spring tyre.

NASA has completed testing of revolutionary shape-memory tyres for Mars rovers, marking a significant advance in technology for future Red Planet exploration.

The testing, conducted at Airbus Defence and Space in Stevenage, United Kingdom, evaluated new tyres made from nickel-titanium shape memory alloys (SMAs) — metals that can return to their original shape after being bent, stretched, heated and cooled.

While NASA has explored only one percent of the Martian surface, these innovative tyres could help future missions more effectively navigate the planet's challenging, rocky terrain.

The breakthrough emerged from a chance encounter between NASA scientists at the Glenn Research Center in Cleveland.

"The minute I saw the tyre, I said, aren't you having problems with that plasticizing?" said Dr Santo Padula II, materials research engineer at NASA Glenn. "Colin told me, 'That's the only problem we can't solve.' I said, I have your solution. I'm developing a new alloy that will solve that. And that's how SMA tyres started."

The fall 2024 tests at Airbus's Mars Yard — a facility simulating Martian conditions — demonstrated the tyres' capabilities on simulated terrain.

"We went out there with the team, we brought our motion tracking system and did different tests uphill and back downhill," said Colin Creager, a mechanical engineer at NASA Glenn. "We conducted a lot of cross slope tests over rocks and sand where the focus was on understanding stability because this was something we had never tested before."

The project, developed in partnership with Goodyear Tire & Rubber, represents a significant improvement over conventional metal spring tyre. The new alloy can withstand extreme stress while maintaining its original shape.

Looking ahead, NASA plans to expand the technology's applications. "My goal is to extend the operating temperature capability of SMAs for applications like tires, and to look at applying these materials for habitat protection," Padula said.

The research could benefit both Mars and lunar missions, potentially protecting habitats from micrometeorite strikes and enabling long-term human presence on both celestial bodies.

The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., has commenced the practical testing of a technology that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to gauge air pressure from the sound made by tapping truck and bus tyres.

In collaboration with METRIKA, Inc., Yokohama Rubber is creating an artificial intelligence algorithm that can detect the sounds produced by tapping the tyre from a range of ambient noises, ascertain the sound interval – the time and duration of the sound – and calculate the tyre's air pressure based on the sound. Furthermore, METRIKA and Yokohama Rubber have created a specialised application prototype and are presently carrying out real-world testing at a business involved in transportation. By capturing the sound produced while tapping the tyre on a smartphone app, this technology will allow drivers to visually understand the tyre's air pressure and whether additional pressure is required. Anyone will be able to do a very accurate air-pressure check thanks to this technology, eliminating the requirement for a special device or any special skill.

The practical testing will be used by Yokohama Rubber to enhance the application's useability and the AI algorithm's accuracy. Furthermore, Yokohama Rubber intends to integrate this new technology into its in-house next-generation Tyre Management System (TMS), which leverages the Internet of Things (IoT) to suggest suitable goods and business strategies for organisations involved in transportation.

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and TNO have successfully demonstrated that the integration of tyre intelligence technology into the automatic emergency braking (AEB) system of a vehicle has the potential to mitigate crashes even in challenging road conditions.

According to recent wet road testing, an improved AEB system with Goodyear SightLine technology may help reduce collisions at up to 80 kmph (50 mph) by applying brakes early. All things considered, the combination of AEB and SightLine insights on tyre and road condition data contributes to reliable performance in a variety of situations. This follows Goodyear and TNO's successful CES 2024 demonstration of tyre intelligence integration with antilock braking systems (ABS).

The automotive industry has placed a lot of emphasis on the AEB system, which applies the brakes automatically when a collision is about to occur in order to assist prevent or lessen the severity of crashes. The AEB system can work more efficiently in a variety of driving conditions, including low-friction surfaces like wet roads or ice, by integrating Goodyear SightLine, the company's suite of tyre intelligence solutions. Currently, existing systems are usually tuned for high-friction surfaces like dry asphalt. Tyre intelligence may give the AEB more detailed information about the real tyre and road conditions through the contact patch with the road, allowing for more intelligent and accurate decision-making.

Chris Helsel, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Goodyear, said, "Safety is a cornerstone of Goodyear's commitment to innovation. By providing critical inputs about tyre and road conditions into AEB systems, we are helping OEMs and their customers take a leap forward in safety, well ahead of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) 2029 mandate for AEB systems in passenger vehicles. Beyond this mandate, AEB systems will play a critical role in automated driving, helping to provide a comprehensive safety solution at all times."

Martijn Stamm, Marketing Director, Unit Mobility & Built Environment, TNO, said, "TNO is dedicated to enhancing the safety, efficiency and sustainability of vehicles. Our collaboration with Goodyear aims to predict the braking distance of a vehicle in more conditions, like dry and wet asphalt, and trigger the AEB timely to reduce accidents and ultimately safe lives. This knowledge is a key enabler for a safe introduction of higher levels of automation."

Italy-headquartered Rodolfo Comerio, a leading supplier of advanced systems for calendering lines, has come out with a new innovative solution, which it believes will further make plants more sustainable.

The company’s new calendering lines provides rigorous control, which enables thickness uniformity. Its production versatility processes a wide range of technical materials with different chemical and physical properties. This reduces production times and maximises productivity all the while cutting down on wastage.

Rodolfo Comerio stated that energy efficiency in buildings starts with roof insulation, which is also an effective way to cut down on thermal dispersion and enhance indoor comfort.

The company claims that materials manufactured with its calendering lines are higher efficient, have better durability even in extreme weather conditions and are much more sustainable.