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Midland, Michigan - As consumer demand for improved road safety, better
fuel economy and reduced environmental impact has gained momentum, tire
manufacturers have searched for affordable solutions. But although the
technology to produce “green” tires has been around since the early 1990s,
they were not widely adopted because of the higher cost of manufacturing. A
technology breakthrough at Dow Corning Corporation may provide a solution,
heralding an era of greater availability of safer, “green” automobile tires.
Green tires offer numerous benefits. Their extra resiliency in the tread
improves driving safety by providing better grip on slippery roads. Studies
have shown that green tires’ traction reduces stopping distances on wet and
icy surfaces by 15 percent and improves overall winter driving performance by
10 to 15 percent. Tire-rolling resistance is reduced by up to 20 percent
compared to an equivalent standard tire, which reduces vehicle fuel
consumption by up to 5 percent. They also reduce carbon dioxide (CO2)
emissions.
“As more green tires come on the road, the amount of fuel and pollution
savings could be staggering,” said Martin Harvey, Dow Corning global market
leader, Materials Manufacturing Industries. “Wider use of green tires could
save millions of barrels of oil per year and would also reduce carbon dioxide
emissions significantly.”
“Green” tires first emerged as a concept in the 1990s when tire engineers
discovered that if they used silane-treated silica as a reinforcing filler in
tread compounds, instead of the traditional carbon black, tire rolling
resistance was improved. Despite this and other benefits, the higher
manufacturing cost of using silane coupling agents to produce
silica-reinforced tread meant higher costs to consumers and hindered
widespread acceptance.
The breakthrough came when Dow Corning technologists at the company’s site in
Barry, UK, began collaborating with researchers at the company’s advanced
research and development facility in Midland, Michigan, USA. Using Phase
Transfer Catalysis (PTC) technology, they developed a method through which the
silane needed for the silica treatment component and used to make green tires
could be made more affordably through a reduction in both the amount of
materials consumed and the costs in making silane coupling agents.
“Our technology has helped to reduce the cost of producing green tires, which
will increase the availability of green tires, they will become more
affordable and available, leading to wider adoption,” Harvey continued. “This
has the potential to have significant environmental and cost benefits around
the world.”
“We are pleased we have been able to provide this solution for tire
manufacturers, which reduces their costs for green tires and helps them to
make progress towards their commitments for sustainability.”
The technology’s environmental benefits occur both in their manufacture and
use on cars. “When comparing the amount of CO2 released in the manufacturing
process with the amount of CO2 saved during the life of the tires, the benefit
is that for every ton of CO2 produced in making the sulfido silane, 250 tons
of CO2 are saved in reduced fuel consumption by the green tires made with it –
a very good trade off” Harvey, concluded.
The new technology that enables these cost benefits is “Phase-transfer
catalysis,” which accelerates the reaction time needed for making silanes,
reducing manufacturing costs and the amount of materials needed. In addition,
the improved PTC technology requires no salt filtration, hazardous solvents,
or solvent recovery – moving the “green” philosophy down the supply chain.
“PTC technology has the potential to bring the safety and fuel-efficiency
benefits of green tires to all drivers by making the silane manufacturing
process more streamlined,” said Ken Kaufman, Dow Corning global product line
manager, Silanes and Silica.
As the pioneer of organo silane technology, Dow Corning has been improving
customers' products and profitability for more than 60 years. With a full
range of silane product and application solutions, reliable supply,
world-class manufacturing operations, and rededicated global reach, Dow
Corning can meet virtually any company's silicone needs through its total
solution offering and technology leadership.
Dow Corning (www.dowcorning.com ) provides performance-enhancing solutions to
serve the diverse needs of more than 25,000 customers worldwide. A global
leader in silicon-based technology and innovation, offering more than 7,000
products and services. Dow Corning is equally owned by The Dow Chemical
Company and Corning, Incorporated. More than half of Dow Corning’s annual
sales are outside the United States.
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