With the advancement of global carbon neutrality goals and increasingly stringent environmental regulations, the tire industry is accelerating its transition towards bio-based and sustainable materials. This paper systematically reviews the latest applications of bio-based materials in tire raw rubber, reinforcement, plasticization, and anti-aging systems. It focuses on analyzing key technological breakthroughs of high-performance bio based rubber additives such as the EG22 filler enhancer and AF28/AF27 anti-fatigue agents in enhancing tire durability, reducing heat buildup, and lowering rolling resistance. Furthermore, it summarizes the progress of domestic and international tire companies in developing sustainable tires, pointing out that bio-based materials are a crucial pathway for achieving low-carbon footprints throughout the tire’s lifecycle. Research indicates that bio-based additives can not only significantly improve the comprehensive performance of tires but also effectively reduce carbon emissions during production, providing practical solutions for the green transformation of the tire industry. Companies leading this change are emerging as key Sustainable tire materials manufacturer.
Keywords: Bio-based additives; Tire heat buildup control; Rolling resistance; Sustainable tires; Filler dispersion; Anti-sulfur reversion; Low-carbon tire technology
1. Introduction: Dual Challenges Facing the Tire Industry and the Opportunity of Bio-based Materials
Against the backdrop of global climate change and resource scarcity, the tire industry faces unprecedented transition pressures. According to data from the International Rubber Study Group, the global tire industry consumes over 30 million tons of natural and synthetic rubber annually, with approximately 70% used for tire manufacturing. Simultaneously, the implementation of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and increasingly strict environmental regulations in various countries are forcing tire companies to seek more sustainable production solutions.
Bio based materials, with their renewable, biodegradable, and environmentally friendly characteristics, are becoming a key breakthrough for the transformation and upgrading of the tire industry. Compared to traditional petroleum-based materials, bio-based materials can not only significantly reduce carbon emissions during tire production but also enhance the comprehensive performance of tires by optimizing material structure. Especially in the field of high-performance tires, the application of bio-based additives is triggering a technological revolution. Manufacturers and suppliers, particularly those specializing in advanced formulations, are crucial for widespread adoption. Identifying a reliable bio based rubber additives Supplier is a primary step for tire companies aiming to innovate.
2. Innovative Application Breakthroughs of Alta Performance Bio Based Additives in Tires
2.1 Technological Breakthroughs and Application Practices of EG22 Bio-based Filler Enhancer
EG22 is a bio-based filler enhancer developed based on natural plant extracts. Its unique molecular structure gives it exceptional performance in high-filler rubber systems. Verified through extensive experimental research and industrial application, EG22 shows significant advantages in the following areas:
In-depth Analysis of Technical Mechanism:
The core mechanism of EG22 lies in the multiple active functional groups in its molecular structure, which can strongly interact with the silanol groups on the surface of fillers like silica. In practical applications, when the EG22 dosage is 5 phr, it can improve the dispersion of silica in natural rubber by over 35% and reduce the Payne effect by 40%. This excellent dispersion effect stems from the amphiphilic structure of the EG22 molecule: one end bonds with the filler surface, and the other end is compatible with the rubber molecules, thereby establishing a stable interface layer between the filler and the rubber. This makes EG22 an excellent bio based filler for better silica dispersion.
Specific Performance Improvements:
In tread compound formulations, the use of EG22 can reduce the Mooney viscosity of the compound by 15-20%, which not only improves processability but also reduces mixing energy consumption by about 12%. More importantly, EG22 can significantly enhance the physical properties of the vulcanizate: tensile strength increases by over 20%, tear strength increases by 15%, while maintaining excellent wear resistance. In terms of dynamic performance, the tan δ value of the tread compound with EG22 at 60°C can be reduced by 0.02-0.03, which means the tire’s rolling resistance is significantly improved; while the tan δ value at 0°C increases, indicating enhanced wet skid resistance. This directly addresses the industry quest for How to reduce tire rolling resistance with bio additives.
Industrial Application Case:
After a renowned domestic tire manufacturer adopted EG22 in the tread compound of all-steel radial truck tires, the rolling resistance coefficient of the finished tire decreased from 8.5 N/kN to 7.2 N/kN, reaching the B-grade standard of the EU label law, while the tire’s wear resistance improved by about 10% and its service life extended by 15%. This improvement not only brought significant economic benefits but also reduced CO2 emissions by approximately 1.5 tons per year for each heavy truck using these tires.
2.2 Technological Innovation and Performance Advantages of AF28 Bio-based Anti-fatigue Agent
AF28 is a bio-based anti-fatigue agent specifically developed to address the issues of heat accumulation and performance degradation in tires under high-speed and heavy-load conditions. Its technical characteristics and application effects are mainly reflected in the following aspects:
Uniqueness of Action Mechanism:
The uniqueness of AF28 lies in the highly reactive functional groups designed at the ends of its molecular chain, which can form stable chemical bonds with the ends of natural rubber molecular chains. When the dosage is 1.5 phr, AF28 can reduce the dynamic heat buildup of natural rubber/carbon black composites by 15-20°C, mainly due to two mechanisms: First, AF28 improves the dispersion state of carbon black in the rubber, reducing local stress concentration caused by filler aggregation; second, the chemical bonding between AF28 and rubber molecular chains reduces intermolecular friction heat. This positions AF28 as a leading Rubber fatigue resistance agent supplier in China can offer to the market.
Comprehensive Performance Enhancement Effects:
In practical applications, tire compounds with AF28 show improvements in multiple aspects. In terms of physical properties, the 300% modulus of the compound increases by 10-15%, which helps enhance the tire’s handling stability; compression fatigue temperature rise decreases by 8-12°C, significantly improving the tire’s durability under high-speed driving conditions; resistance to sulfur reversion improves by over 30%, ensuring the stability of tire performance during long-term use. Especially in the tread compound of all-steel radial truck tires, the application of AF28 increases the tire’s driving mileage by over 20%, while the risk of blowouts due to reduced heat buildup significantly decreases. This provides effective Solutions for tire heat buildup in commercial vehicles.
Typical Application Scenario:
After a tire company applied AF28 in the drive wheel tires used by its long-distance freight fleet, the tire body temperature after continuous driving for 36 hours was 12°C lower than that of tires with traditional formulations, and the average service life of the tires extended from 180,000 kilometers to 220,000 kilometers. This not only reduced the operating costs of the fleet but also greatly improved driving safety.
2.3 Characteristic Applications and Performance of AF27 Bio-based Anti-fatigue Agent
AF27 is a product further optimized based on AF28, particularly suitable for tire types requiring higher damping performance and dynamic stability. Its technical characteristics and applicable scenarios include:
Technical Features and Differentiated Advantages:
AF27 places more emphasis on regulating the dynamic mechanical properties of rubber materials in its molecular structure design. By introducing specific proportions of flexible chain segments, AF27 can effectively adjust the dynamic stiffness of the compound, improving comfort while maintaining sufficient support. Experimental data shows that after adding AF27, the dynamic stiffness ratio (Kd/Ks) of the compound decreases from 1.46 to 1.34, meaning the tire’s damping effect is significantly improved.
Application Effect Verification:
In tires used for public transport vehicles, the application of AF27 reduced vehicle vibration noise by 3-5 dB, significantly improving ride comfort. Meanwhile, because AF27 effectively prevents sulfur reversion, the hardness change rate of the tire during use is reduced from the traditional 15-20% to within 8%, ensuring the stability of tire performance throughout its service life. Furthermore, AF27 can increase the fatigue life of the compound by 25-30%, which is particularly important for vehicles frequently driven under complex road conditions. This contributes significantly to Improving tire durability with natural rubber additives.
Scope of Application Expansion:
In addition to traditional pneumatic tires, AF27 also shows good application prospects in non-pneumatic tires and special vehicle tires. After an engineering machinery tire manufacturer applied AF27 in mining dump truck tires, the service life of the tires under harsh working conditions increased by 30%, while downtime caused by tire failures decreased by 40%.
3. Research Progress and Technological Breakthroughs in Other Bio-based Materials
3.1 Industrialization Progress of Plant-based Rubbers
Commercialization Breakthrough of Dandelion Rubber:
China has established a complete industrial chain from cultivation to extraction in dandelion rubber research. Through variety improvement and cultivation technology optimization, the rubber content has been increased from the initial 6% to 12%, and it is expected to reach the 20% target within the next three years. Large-scale cultivation bases have been established in Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and other areas, with a total area exceeding 100,000 acres. In terms of extraction technology, the newly developed solvent extraction process has achieved a rubber extraction rate of over 85% and a purity of over 95%, fully meeting the requirements of tire production.
Technological Innovation of Eucommia Ulmoides Rubber:
Chinese researchers have made major breakthroughs in the extraction and modification of Eucommia ulmoides rubber, developing extraction technology with a purity of over 99%. As trans-polyisoprene, Eucommia ulmoides rubber has the same chemical composition as natural rubber but a different molecular structure, giving it unique performance advantages. Application in aviation tires shows that Eucommia ulmoides rubber tires have 15-20% lower heat buildup than traditional natural rubber tires, 25% higher wear resistance, and over 30% longer service life.
International Development of Guayule Rubber:
European and American countries have invested heavily in the research and development of guayule rubber and have established a complete technical system from cultivation to application. Through genetic engineering technology, the rubber content of guayule has been increased to over 10%, and efficient extraction processes have been developed. Several international tire giants have launched guayule rubber concept tires and plan to achieve large-scale production before 2025.
3.2 Technological Progress of Bio-based Synthetic Elastomers
Industrialization Process of Bio-based Polybutadiene Rubber:
Technology for producing bio-based butadiene from biomass ethanol has achieved breakthroughs, and the performance of bio-based polybutadiene rubber is comparable to petroleum-based products. It is expected that by 2028, the production cost of bio-based polybutadiene rubber will be on par with traditional products, and it will be widely used in the tire industry.
Technological Innovation of Bio-based Polyisoprene Rubber:
Through synthetic biology technology, new processes for producing isoprene from biomass such as sugarcane and corn have been developed. The performance of bio-based polyisoprene rubber has met tire application requirements. Several companies have established thousand-ton production units and are expected to achieve large-scale production before 2030.
4. Technological Progress in Bio-based Reinforcement and Filling Systems
4.1 Industrial Application of Rice Husk Ash Silica
As the world’s largest rice producer, China generates over 40 million tons of rice husks annually, providing ample raw materials for the production of rice husk ash silica. Through technological innovation, a production process with a silica extraction rate of over 96% has been developed, and the product performance has reached international advanced levels. Application in tires shows that rice husk ash silica can completely replace traditional silica, reducing tire rolling resistance by 5-8% and improving wet skid resistance by 3-5%.
4.2 Development of New Bio-based Reinforcing Materials
Functional Modification of Diatomite:
Through surface treatment and modification technology, diatomite products with good dispersibility in rubber have been developed. Application in tread compounds shows that modified diatomite can replace part of the carbon black, reducing material costs by 10-15% while maintaining performance.
Innovative Application of Marine Diatom Frustules:
Bio-based reinforcing materials developed using marine diatom frustules have a unique mesostructure and exhibit excellent reinforcing effects in rubber. A thousand-ton production line has been established, and the product has completed verification in several tire companies, showing good application prospects.
5. Technological Innovation in Bio-based Plasticization and Anti-aging Systems
5.1 Diversified Development of Vegetable Oil Plasticizers
To address the issue of “competing with people for food,” significant progress has been made in the development of non-food vegetable oil plasticizers. Among them, rice bran oil, as a by-product of rice processing, is abundant and low-cost, and has become the most potential alternative. Research shows that compared with traditional plasticizers, rice bran oil can improve the low-temperature performance of compounds by over 20% while maintaining good processing performance.
5.2 Technological Breakthroughs in Bio-based Anti-aging Agents
As traditional anti-aging agents like 6PPD face regulatory restrictions, the development of bio-based anti-aging agents is becoming increasingly urgent. Breakthroughs have been achieved in anti-aging agents developed based on biomass such as lignin and glucose, with product performance close to traditional anti-aging agents and better environmental compatibility. Research is ongoing to identify the Best bio additive for tire heat aging resistance.
6. Sustainable Tire Development and Industrial Practice
6.1 Technology Roadmaps of International Tire Companies
International tire giants have set clear sustainable development goals. Michelin plans to achieve industrialization of 100% sustainable material tires by 2050, Goodyear plans to use 100% renewable electricity in all its factories by 2030, and Pirelli has developed a sustainable material certification system. These initiatives indicate that sustainable transformation has become a consensus in the tire industry.
6.2 Innovation Practices of Domestic Tire Companies
Domestic tire companies have made significant progress in sustainable tire development. Sailun Group’s “Liquid Gold” tire uses innovative chemical mixing technology, achieving a sustainable material proportion of over 75%; Linglong Tire’s green tire has a sustainable material proportion of 79%, and its performance indicators exceed those of traditional tires; Zhongce Rubber’s new energy vehicle tire achieves a sustainable material proportion of over 70%, and all performance indicators reach the highest grade of the EU label law. The development of such Eco friendly tire material for EU carbon tariff compliance is becoming a key competitive edge.
7. Technical Challenges and Development Trends
7.1 Main Technical Challenges Currently Faced
Although significant progress has been made in the application of bio-based materials in tires, some technical challenges remain: First, the cost of some bio-based materials is still relatively high, requiring further optimization of production processes; second, the performance consistency of bio-based materials needs further improvement; third, the standard system for bio-based materials is not yet perfect, and unified quality evaluation standards need to be established.
7.2 Future Development Trends
In the next five years, the application of bio-based materials in tires will show the following development trends: First, bio-based additives will develop from functional additives towards main materials; second, bio-based materials will deeply integrate with other advanced technologies such as nanotechnology and smart manufacturing; third, tire sustainability will become an important part of product competitiveness. The adoption of Bio based rubber additives for sustainable tires is central to this trend.
8. Conclusion and Outlook
The application of bio-based materials in tires is moving from concept to industrialization, showing huge development potential. The successful development and application of bio-based additives such as EG22, AF28, and AF27 provide effective solutions to the technical and environmental challenges facing the tire industry. These materials can not only significantly improve tire performance but also effectively reduce environmental impact, making them key to achieving the sustainable development of the tire industry. Understanding How to prevent Sulfur Reversion in tire production with additives like AF28 is part of this advanced material science.
In the future, with continuous technological progress and continuously reducing costs, the application of bio-based materials in tires will become more widespread. It is estimated that by 2030, the average usage proportion of bio-based materials in tires will reach over 30%, and may exceed 50% in high-end products. This will not only promote the innovation of tire technology but also make an important contribution to the achievement of global carbon neutrality goals.However, to achieve this goal, joint efforts from all parties in the industrial chain are still needed. Tire companies need to strengthen cooperation with material suppliers and research institutions to jointly promote the technological innovation and industrial application of bio-based materials. Meanwhile, governments also need to introduce supportive policies to create a favorable environment for the development of bio-based materials. Only in this way can the green transformation and sustainable development of the tire industry be realized. Advanced Tire compounding for lower compression heat is a continuous process leveraging these new material technologies.
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