Orion Engineered Carbons has developed a new line of surface-modified carbon blacks for rubber applications.
According to the supplier, the new filler system greatly reduces the energy loss of a tire tread compound and therefore the tire’s rolling resistance. The surface-modified carbon blacks also exhibited extremely high levels of abrasion resistance in laboratory evaluations.
Orion notes that other tire fillers are unable to offer a balance between wear and energy dissipation. Hence the new product line is a potential game-changer in the market because it enables reduced tire rolling resistance without compromising wear resistance.
Compounding manager, Dr Hauke Westenberg, led the team that developed the new material. Corning Painter, Orion’s CEO, said, “We are proud of Dr Westenberg’s work, which reflects our core values of customer focus, innovation and sustainability. Tire manufacturers now have a powerful new tool to develop more durable, energy-saving and therefore more sustainable tires.”
