Renewable Materials Utilization in Tire Fillers
20 patents in this list
Updated:
Traditional tire manufacturing relies heavily on petroleum-derived carbon black and synthetic silica fillers, consuming over 8.5 million metric tons annually. Recent environmental regulations and supply chain pressures have intensified the need for renewable alternatives that can match or exceed the reinforcement properties of conventional fillers—particularly surface area (>190 m²/g), dispersibility, and rubber-filler interactions.
The fundamental challenge lies in achieving comparable mechanical performance and processing characteristics while transitioning from well-understood petroleum-based fillers to bio-derived alternatives with inherently variable properties.
This page brings together solutions from recent research—including silica derived from rice husk ash, surface-treated microcrystalline lignocellulose, biomass-derived carbon black replacements, and functionalized agricultural waste products. These and other approaches focus on maintaining critical tire performance metrics while reducing environmental impact and dependence on petroleum-based materials.
1. Tire Tread Rubber Composition with Bio-Based Lignin-Derivative Modified Silica
ZHONGCE RUBBER GROUP CO LTD, 2024
A tire tread rubber composition containing bio-based compound modified silica that improves dispersion and compatibility of silica in rubber compounds compared to traditional modification methods. The modification uses a bio-based lignin derivative with reactive functional groups that can react with silica. This reduces the silica's hydroxyl content to improve dispersion in rubber. The modification is done using a catalyst and acetylating agent in a simple one-step process. The modified silica can be used in tire treads without issues like gumming or scorching.
2. Tire Tread Composition Incorporating Biomass-Derived Reinforcing Filler from Sugarcane Bagasse Ash
TVS SRICHAKRA LIMITED, 2024
Tire tread rubber composition with lower rolling resistance using biomass derived reinforcing filler from sugarcane bagasse ash. The composition contains natural rubber, neodymium catalyst polymerized butadiene rubber, carbon black, silane coupling agent, and biomass filler. The biomass filler replaces some of the carbon black. The composition has better processability, lower rolling resistance, and lower payne effect compared to conventional carbon black filled tires. The biomass filler provides lower rolling resistance and better processing while maintaining tire performance.
3. Tire Rubber Composition Incorporating Renewable Carbon Black Feedstock
ORION ENG CARBONS GMBH, ORION ENGINEERED CARBONS GMBH, 2023
Composition for tire rubber with reduced carbon footprint by using renewable carbon black feedstocks. The composition comprises elastomeric polymer material and a carbon black with at least 10% of the carbon black feedstock being from renewable sources like plant oils. The renewable carbon black improves tire performance while lowering overall CO2 emissions compared to fossil-based carbon black. The composition can be used in tires, belts, hoses, and other rubber products.
4. Rubber Compounds with Functionalized Diene Polymers and Biomass-Derived Silica Fillers
ARLANXEO DEUTSCHLAND GMBH, 2023
Rubber compounds with improved properties for tire treads by combining functionalized diene polymers and silica fillers. The diene polymers have functional groups containing polar groups like -OX, -OR, -COOX, -COOR, -N(R'1)(R'2)X or -N(R'1)(R'2)Xn (X represents H or a cation, n is either 1 or 0, R'1 and R'2 represent independently from each other H, a C1-C6 alkyl group, a -Si(R'4)(R's) group where R' and R's represent independently from each other a C1-C6 alkyl group). The silica filler is obtained from biomass ash like rice husk ash. This specific combination of functionalized diene polymers and sil
5. Motorcycle Tire Tread Rubber Composition with Coconut Shell Powder and Hybrid Filler System
TVS SRICHAKRA LTD, 2023
Preparing a high performance motorcycle tyre tread rubber composition that provides better wet and dry grip. The composition includes polymer matrix, coconut shell powder as a reinforcing green filler (Natural filler), carbon black and silica; coupling agent; activators; anti-degradants; vulcanization agent; primary accelerator.
6. Tire Rubber Compound with Rice Husk Ash-Derived Silica and Carboxyl-Functionalized Styrene-Butadiene Rubber
THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER CO, 2023
Rubber compound for tires that provides improved traction, wear, and rolling resistance using silica synthesized from rice husk ash. The silica is made by digesting rice husk ash with base to create sodium silicate, then precipitating with carbon dioxide. The rice husk ash silica is used in tire tread rubber formulations along with styrene-butadiene and high-cis polybutadiene rubbers. Functionalizing the styrene-butadiene rubber with carboxyl groups improves compatibility with the rice husk ash silica. Adding hydrophobating and crosslinkable silanes further enhances performance.
7. Tire Composition Incorporating High Surface Area, Low Salt Silica Derived from Rice Husk Ash
Pirelli Tire Co., Ltd., PIRELLI TYRE S.P.A, 2022
Tire compositions with improved performance and sustainability by using a specific type of silica. The compositions contain a silica with a high surface area (>190 m2/g) and low salt content (<0.5 wt%) derived from rice husk ash. This eco-friendly silica provides better dispersion and processing compared to conventional silicas with high surface areas. It also offers comparable tire properties like abrasion resistance compared to conventional silicas. The compositions can be used in tire components like tread caps to improve tire performance and reduce environmental impact.
8. Rubber Composition Incorporating Rice Bran Silica with Enhanced Physical Properties
Hankook Tire & Technology Co., Ltd., HANKOOK TIRE & TECHNOLOGY CO LTD, 2021
Rubber composition for tires with improved physical properties and environmental sustainability by using rice bran silica instead of conventional silica. The composition contains excess rice bran silica compared to prior art levels. This improves tensile strength, elongation, and modulus of elasticity. It also reduces carbon dioxide generation during silica extraction and lowers the energy required. The rice bran silica provides similar or better performance compared to conventional silica at lower costs and environmental impact.
9. Surface-Treated Microcrystalline Lignocellulose Biofiller for Rubber Reinforcement
GODAVARI BIOREFINERIES LTD, 2021
Biofiller for rubber reinforcement that replaces carbon black and is more ecofriendly and reproducible compared to carbon black. The biofiller is surface treated microcrystalline lignocellulose using aldehydes and ketones like acetone, formaldehyde, and lignin derivatives. The treatment improves dispersion and interaction with the rubber matrix compared to untreated lignocellulose. The biofiller provides similar reinforcement properties to carbon black in rubber compounds, but without the health and environmental concerns of carbon black.
10. Rubber Compound with Hickory Shell Powder Filler and Traditional Fillers
Zhongce Rubber Group Co., Ltd., 2019
Rubber compound for tires with improved wet grip performance using hickory shell powder as a filler. The compound contains 0.5-10 parts hickory shell powder per 100 parts of rubber along with traditional carbon black or silica fillers. The hickory shell powder filler provides wet grip improvement while maintaining acceptable properties like strength and wear resistance. The compound can be prepared by mixing the hickory shell powder with the rubber components using a ball mill.
11. Rubber Compositions Incorporating Recycled Carbon Black and Plant Oils for Tire Subtreads
BRIDGESTONE AMERICAS TIRE OPERATIONS LLC, 2018
Rubber compositions for tire subtreads that contain renewable resources like recycled carbon black and plant oils. The compositions aim to replace non-renewable materials like petroleum-based oils and virgin carbon black with more sustainable alternatives. The recycled carbon black is made from grinding and reprocessing used tire rubber. The plant oil can be derived from renewable sources like plant triglycerides. The compositions provide a way to reduce the environmental impact of tire subtreads by utilizing recycled and renewable materials.
12. Rubber Composition with Rice Husk Charcoal and Polar Group-Modified Natural Rubber
TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO, TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO LTD, 2009
Rubber composition for tire treads that balances rolling resistance and wet grip while improving workability compared to using silica filler. The composition replaces some or all of the silica with rice husk charcoal powder and modified natural rubber. The modified natural rubber has a polar group. The charcoal powder from rice husks provides rolling resistance similar to silica while reducing viscosity compared to silica. The modified natural rubber further improves properties. Blending 1-20 parts charcoal powder and 40-100 parts silica replaces silica completely in some cases.
13. Rubber Composition with Rice Husk Charcoal and Polar Group-Modified Natural Rubber
TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO, TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO LTD, 2009
Rubber composition for tire treads that improves the balance between rolling resistance and wet grip while also improving workability. The composition contains rice husk charcoal powder as a filler, blended with a modified natural rubber having a polar group. The rice husk charcoal provides better rolling resistance compared to silica, while the modified natural rubber reduces the viscosity of the unvulcanized rubber compared to regular natural rubber. The modified natural rubber could be used alone or blended with another diene-based rubber.
14. Rubber Composition with Non-Petroleum Carbon Black and Silica Reinforcement
SUMITOMO RUBBER IND, SUMITOMO RUBBER IND LTD, 2008
Rubber composition for tires that aims to reduce the use of petroleum-derived materials and improve weather resistance. The composition contains a rubber component, silica, and carbon black derived from non-petroleum resources. The silica provides reinforcement, and the non-petroleum carbon black helps absorb UV rays to prevent cracking and improve weather resistance compared to using just silica. The composition uses specific amounts of silica, carbon black, and oils derived from sources like tall oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, etc. to achieve the balance of properties.
15. Rubber Composition for Tires with Silica and Non-Petroleum Ink Fillers of Sub-1000 nm Particle Size
SUMITOMO RUBBER IND, SUMITOMO RUBBER IND LTD, 2008
Rubber composition for tires that provides improved weather resistance and balances environmental friendliness and durability compared to conventional tire rubbers. The composition uses silica as a reinforcing filler instead of carbon black, but also contains small amounts of pine smoke ink and/or oil smoke ink derived from non-petroleum sources. The particle size of these fillers is limited to 1000 nm or less. This allows replacing some carbon black with these fillers to improve weather resistance while maintaining adequate durability. The silica, pine smoke ink, and oil smoke ink are used in specific weight ratios with the rubber component. The composition balances environmental benefits by reducing petroleum-based fillers, weather resistance by using silica, and durability by adding the small amounts of non-petroleum fillers.
16. Rubber Composition Incorporating Squid Ink Powder with Defined Silica Content and BET Surface Area
SUMITOMO RUBBER IND, SUMITOMO RUBBER IND LTD, 2008
Rubber composition for tires that provides improved weather resistance and rubber strength compared to conventional tire rubber. The composition contains natural rubber or epoxidized natural rubber, silica, carbon black, and squid ink powder. The squid ink powder replaces some of the carbon black and provides weather resistance without degrading rubber strength. The squid ink powder has specific properties like silica content, particle size, and BET surface area to balance weather resistance and reinforcement. The composition has 5-20 parts per hundred parts rubber (phr) of squid ink powder, 5 phr or less carbon black, and silica with BET of 170-250 m2/g.
17. Rubber Composition with Silica and Non-Petroleum Soot for Tire Reinforcement
SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES LTD, 2007
Rubber composition for tires that improves weather resistance and balances strength while reducing environmental impact compared to traditional carbon black-reinforced tires. The composition uses a specific combination of ingredients: at least 20 parts silica, less than 5 parts carbon black, and 2-20 parts turpentine soot or lamp black with an average particle size of 1000 nm or less. This allows replacing some carbon black with smaller particle size soots derived from non-petroleum sources. This reduces reliance on petroleum-based carbon black while still providing some reinforcement. The silica improves weather resistance compared to carbon black. The composition uses a balance of these ingredients to optimize tire performance.
18. Tread Rubber Composition Incorporating Rice Husk Powder with Silane Coupling Agent and Carbon Black
KUMHO TIRE CO INC, 2005
Tread rubber composition for passenger car tires that contains rice husk powder as a reinforcing filler instead of silica. The rice husk powder improves low fuel consumption and braking force while maintaining abrasion resistance compared to using only silica. The rice husk powder is dispersed using a silane coupling agent and carbon black. The rice husk powder has a specific surface area of 1.45-1.50 m2/g and particle size of 0.01-20 μm. The composition uses 10-80 parts rice husk powder, 5-30 parts silane coupling agent, and 0.5-3.0 parts zinc oxide. This allows replacing some or all of the silica in tire treads with the eco-friendly and low-cost rice husk powder.
19. Rubber Composition with Diene Rubber, Carbon Black, Silica, and Unbaked Scallop Shell Powder
SUMITOMO RUBBER IND, SUMITOMO RUBBER IND LTD, 2004
Rubber composition for tire treads that provides good rolling resistance and wear resistance without increasing silica content. The composition contains diene rubber, carbon black, silica, and unbaked scallop shell powder. The scallop shell powder, with a particle size of 100 um or less, reduces rolling resistance when blended with silica and diene rubber. It improves rolling resistance compared to silica alone without deteriorating wear resistance. The scallop shell powder should be unbaked to preserve its properties.
20. Compositions with Amorphous Silica Filler from High-Silica Agricultural Material
THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, UNIV CALIFORNIA, 1976
Rubber, elastomer, and plastomer compositions containing a filler made from amorphous silica derived from high-silica content agricultural material like rice hulls. The silica is produced by incinerating the plant material under controlled conditions to retain the cell structure and amorphous nature. The resulting filler provides reinforcing properties to rubber, elastomers, and plastomers at low loadings (5-95%) without the need for expensive synthetic fillers like carbon black.
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