Pneumatic-Like Materials for Non-Air Tires
Modern pneumatic tires achieve their complex dynamic behavior through precisely engineered material compositions and structural designs. A typical passenger vehicle tire contains over 200 distinct materials, including various rubber compounds, reinforcing fillers, and structural components that together deliver specific performance characteristics across temperature ranges from -40°C to 120°C and loading conditions up to 35 kN.
The fundamental challenge lies in replicating the viscoelastic properties, wear resistance, and load-bearing capabilities of traditional tire compounds while transitioning to more sustainable material sources.
This page brings together solutions from recent research—including bio-derived elastomers, renewable reinforcing fillers, recycled rubber technologies, and novel composite structures. These and other approaches demonstrate how tire manufacturers are maintaining performance standards while reducing reliance on petroleum-based materials.
1. Non-Pneumatic Vehicle Wheel Assembly with Compressible E-TPU Inner Tire for Conventional Rim Mounting
NEIL JOHANNES VAN DEN HAAK, 2025
Vehicle wheel assembly with a non-pneumatic inner tire that can be mounted in a conventional outer tire and wheel rim without needing inflation. The inner tire is made of expanded thermoplastic polyurethane (E-TPU) and can be compressed to fit inside the outer tire and rim. The compression allows the inner tire to be larger in diameter than the rim flanges. This provides a non-pneumatic wheel assembly with similar ride quality and rolling resistance to a pneumatic tire. The assembly is made by pulling the outer tire bead over the rim, compressing the inner tire into the outer tire, then pulling the second bead over the same rim flange.
2. Solid Tire Comprising Recycled Rubber and Polyurethane with Radiating Grooves and Steel Mesh
KONG YUNRONG, YUNRONG KONG, 2009
Environment-friendly solid tire for vehicles made from recycled rubber and polyurethane elastomer. The tire has a tread, hub, and outer sleeve. The hub is connected to the vehicle axle. The tread is made from recycled rubber and has a polyurethane outer layer. The tire is molded without air and encapsulated in the hub. It has features like radiating grooves, steel mesh, and calcium carbonate additive to reduce rolling resistance, wear, and heat generation. The solid tire eliminates the need for inner tubes and prevents toxic fill like sand. The design allows recycling waste rubber, improving environmental friendliness.
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