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To enhance the tyre performance in wet, dry and winter conditions, the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company has commercially used for the first time a new soybean oil-based rubber compound. Goodyear Tire’s team of scientists and engineers has developed a formulation using soybean oil which is cost effective, carbon neutral, naturally derived as well is renewable.
In the recently concluded 2018 Tire Technology Expo, the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company received “Tire Technology International Award for Innovation and Excellence” in the category of “Environmental Achievement of the Year”.
According to Chris Helsel, CTO, Goodyear, working with the United Soybean Board (USB) presented a unique challenge and opportunity for our material scientists and tyre engineers to utilize soybean oil in the development of superior performing tyres. He also added that it is exhilarating to see that work culminated with commercially viable products and an honour to get recognised for the environment achievement by the industry.
To keep the rubber compound healthy in changing temperatures, Goodyear has found a new way by using the soybean oil in tyres. By this way, they have maintained a performance and also enhanced the vehicle’s grip on the road surface. A test conducted by the Goodyear Tires has shown that the rubber made with soybean oil mixes more easily in the silica reinforced compounds that are used in the manufacturing of certain types of tyres. It also improves the manufacturing efficiency and reduces the overall energy consumption.
The project was a joint venture between USB and Goodyear Tires. USB works on the behalf of all the U.S soybean farmers. It also provided some funding support for the development of the Goodyear’s soybean oil applied tyres. This latest innovation of using soybean oil in tyres builds upon other recent innovations of the company such as the use of silica derived from rice husk ash. The American tyre maker has in the past make use of components such as volcanic sand, carbon fibre, DuPont’s Kevlar among others for developing tyres.
With an employee strength of around 65,000 and manufacturing facilities in 21 countries across the world, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company has two innovation centres, one each in North America and Europe.
