July 9th, 2015

Iranian researchers tried to overcome the challenge of tire abrasion in an optimum manner by using nanotechnology.

Obtaining desirable level of rolling strength, gripping on wet surface and abrasive resistance are among the main challenges in designing of tires. Fuel consumption and air pollution decrease when rolling strength reduces. Therefore, it is desirable to decrease the rolling strength. However, usually when rolling strength decreases, the friction of the tire decreases on wet surfaces, which is not acceptable.
The use of green tire and replacement of soot with silica nanoparticles in the formulation of the tire surface is a new approach that has been presented in recent decades to overcome this problem.
In this research, the performance of the tire was improved as the most important rubbery piece in terms of production volume and importance. This objective is being evaluated by changing the interaction between polymer and filler by modifying the surface of silica nanoparticles and by studying the resistance to crack growth on the produced mixtures.
Replacement of the combination of soot and emulsion styrene butadiene rubber (E-SBR) with modified nanosilica solvent styrene butadiene rubber (S-SBR) can provide optimum conditions of rolling strength and friction in wet surfaces. At the same time, the abrasive strength – which is usually controlled by fatigue abrasion and crack growth strength at dynamic loads, including automobile and airplane tires, decreases in green tires.
The executor of the plan pointed out to the fact that reduction in fuel consumption, economic saving and reduction in air pollution are among the advantages of the application of nanotechnology in the production of tires. "Industries that produce automobile and airplane tires and all other industries that produce rubber pieces under dynamic loads can use the results of this research," he added.