16 Rubber & Plastics News • May 6, 2019 www.rubbernews.com Technical Making the sustainable tire possible By Marvin Myhre Michelin hopes to create a more sustain- Rubber Testing Development Ltd. able tire, and while the company’s targets Executive summary Howard Boever are commendable, are such goals with TC Rubber Inc. current compounding systems achievable, Sustainability and the circular economy. These two ideas are the focus of both Robin Pegden or impossible? Is the “Impossible Tire’” global corporations and the media. Consumption of resources and the one-time use Consultant with high-recycled rubber content techni- of tires pose a huge environmental challenge. Millions of tires are cast off in land- and Neil Powell cally possible? fills, and this global issue continues to grow daily. Compounding issues, tire com- BSI UK Since rubber and tires became an ev- panies today are forced to use only virgin rubber to create new tires. Michelin has recently announced plans eryday product, the rubber and tire indus- The tire industry also faces other problems. Cost increases in energy, product and to change the way a tire is made in the try has tried to reclaim rubber back into production result in revenue reductions. A suitable, practical solution is needed to future and the materials that go into tires with no real success. Rubber crumb produce sustainable tires. Michelin, for example, has announced its “Butterfly” making this tire under a development derived from waste tires is a chemically program. The goal of this program is to create a tire with 30 percent recycled content program called “Butterfly,” as stated by inactive filler. Only 5-10 percent of recy- by 2048. Michelin’s challenge of producing the “Impossible Tire” seems to be just www.greencarcongress.com. cled tire crumb is added to a tire compound that. New rubber compounding technology is required to achieve this goal. Other tire companies also are looking as a filler, if it is used at all. Suppose in the future a compound became available that, when added to old tires, at sustainability seriously as to how Fortunately for Michelin and compa- would make that rubber sustainable, to be used over and over. Genesis evolution now they can have less impact upon the envi- nies like it, the impossible tire proposed has the technology to offer a unique solution to these problems. The compound, Gen- ronment and contribute to addressing of the future is now possible today thanks esis, when added to the rubber of used tires, creates new sustainable tires. These the challenges of climate change. Sus- to a special set of nano formulated poly- tires have a significantly high recycled rubber content in their tread formation. This mers, which now offer an innovative, yet compound has been tested repeatedly with positive results. Worldwide sites for test- TECHNICAL NOTEBOOK well-proven solution to turn the impossi- ing include the United Kingdom, Canada, Oregon and Florida for a period of years. Edited by John Dick ble into the possible. A circular economy, which aims to reduce waste and make the most of resources, This piece of technology will help com- opposes a traditional, linear economy, which has had a “taking, making, disposing” tainability and environmental compli- panies meet their sustainability goals cycle. A systemic shift away from being satisfied with the status quo is required. ance are now key issues facing tire significantly ahead of time, without re- Genesis evolution offers a new opportunity for tire companies. With this com- companies. inventing their tires, and will meet the pounding tool and a set of specially formulated nano polymers, Genesis evolution The Michelin 2030 tire will have a drive to create the sustainable tire and expects impressive growth levels in the next three to five years. composition of 30 percent bio sourced, in- 100 percent tire recycling. The proposal that follows describes more specifically this innovative company. cluding new biomass materials, 10 per- Genesis evolution compounds—the Also included are goals and objectives, a needs assessment, budget forms and a cent recycled rubber and 60 percent fossil copyrighted nano polymer technology— management plan. fuel-derived materials. By 2048 Michelin offer both tire and rubber compounders wants to create tires with a 50 percent a new innovative technology solution Technology overview tivated to create a new compounding tool. bio-sourced content, including rubbers that can already use more than 30-40 Genesis evolution compounds’ nano Genesis evolution is not a devulcanization derived from biomass crops, 30 percent percent recycled crumb rubber back into polymerization system is a unique meth- process; it is a chemical polymer nano recycled materials and 20 percent fossil the rubber manufacturing process with od that now allows previously vulcanized bonding system and whole a new com- fuel-sourced materials. added improved properties. rubber crumb to become chemically reac- pounding tool.
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Please refer to Fig. 1 to see how Gen- tire in both passenger and truck tires. tinues to do so as more chemically inac- Trials used new tire casings, these esis technology works. In Diagram 1, All casings were new tire casings and tive rubber crumb is included in the were retreaded using the Orbitread pro- Item 1 is the ground previously vulca- the compounds were applied to the test virgin compound. cess. Compounds were selected from the nized particle. Item 2 is the Genesis tires by the retreading process. The trials with Genesis technology See Tire, page 18 surface coated ground rubber particle The Genesis compounds used 30-40 treated rubber crumb at a 25 percent with a low molecular polymer treatment mesh crumb rubber. Tire formulations loading in the virgin compound showed a The authors deposited on the crumb surface. Item 3 were kept constant through the entire test similar decline in elongation and tensile is the virgin uncured compound. program and the tire compounds matched when compared with the virgin compound. Robin Pegden is an international In Diagram 2: During curing, the commercially used compounds. Rolling However, once the 25 percent Genesis sustainability, surface polymer treatment interacts resistance testing occurred on a drum test compounds’ replacement level was sur- energy and tech- with the virgin compound and combines at 50 mph; the tire test load was 389.6 ki- passed, tire compounds with 40 percent, nology manage- both the virgin and already previously lograms and to ISO standards. 50 percent and 75 percent replacement of ment consultant. vulcanized rubber crumb treated with Table 1 shows that with 25 percent the virgin material with Genesis there He specializes in the nano polymer into the polymer ma- Genesis compound added to the virgin was only a very minimal decline in both renewable ener- trix to create a new hybrid compound. compound and replacing 25 percent of elongation and tensile strength. This gy, sustainabili- In Diagram 3: The end result is a fully the virgin material, a tire with an 11-12 discovery led us to produce tire com- ty, innovation, cured, crosslinked compound containing percent improved wear life and a lower pounds with 40 percent and 50 percent new technology, both virgin and the Genesis surface rolling resistance is achieved when replacement of the virgin compound with waste to energy, treated components to be vulcanized compared to the whole virgin tire. Genesis compounds in the master batch. commercializa- Pegden and become an advanced reactivated Closely monitored independent trials tion to market and rubber compounding tool and material. Passenger tire wear testing have shown that levels of 25 percent, 40 funding. His 24-year experience A new composite and alternative feed- Wear testing occurred using an accel- percent and 50 percent replacement of focuses on rubber recycling. stock material-part uncured virgin rub- erated wear trailer. The tires were fitted the virgin compound with Genesis com- Pegden is the lead developer of the ber and part vulcanized is now possible to a trailer, which can have the angle of pounds is technically possible. Genesis copyrighted Genesis evolution tech- by using the Genesis evolution com- the tire turned in or out to an angle of compounds-treated crumb when inte- nology with his U.S. partners, and pounds specially formulated low molec- 1.5 percent by turning the wheels with a grated into the virgin compound at such he has secured considerable funding ular polymers. pneumatic ram. high levels of inclusion has shown from to undertake research in rubber re- Genesis evolution compounds coating This turning of the tires at 1.5 degrees tire trials that tensile strength is not an cycling. He has overseen the testing technology not only now enables previ- created an effect of a slip on the tire accurate predictor of a tire’s perfor- of Genesis materials, using a lead- ously vulcanized materials to be re-vul- when towed by a truck. This means that mance as our study has clearly shown. ing research institute to inde- canized, but also introduces significant the tires are effectively cornering all the The hybrid of part Genesis and part pendently verify the Genesis tech- and unique physical properties to the time when driven in a straight line. The virgin tires has performed better in all nology for use in tire applications. rubber compound. These improved com- tires are switched toe in and toe out ev- areas—covering rolling resistance, He resides in the United Kingdom. pound physical properties are not cur- ery five miles, and as a result wear wear life, dry and wet skid resistance— Howard Boever is the executive rently available in the existing manufac- readings are obtained more rapidly. than virgin tires with the higher elonga- vice president of TC Rubber Inc., turing and rubber compounding process. Wear resistance was improved by 11 tion and tensile readings. with responsibility for the Genesis The Genesis compounds surface po- percent when the tread compounds incor- Though the benchmarking of tensile evolution com- lymerization process is easily integrated porated Genesis compounds at 25 percent. and elongation is taken as the norm in pound. He has into the rubber compounding process Coincidently this was the same level as the the industry, it is no longer the total end introduced the and uses standard industry equipment. improvement in rolling resistance. requirement in defining tire perfor- compound inter- Summary of the initial testing showed mance, as our trials have clearly shown. nationally to tire Trials and testing a tire with lower rolling resistance and Below are the results of the trials un- companies, recy- Genesis evolution compounds’ develop- wear, and that it is technically possible dertaken to date. clers and rubber ment and testing work goes back more to manufacture a tire with 25 percent product manu- than 20 years. Tires have been built and Genesis compounds rubber back into the Road trials factures. The in- tested using an independent rubber insti- tire compound. After successful laboratory evalua- ternational team tute, which independently tested Genesis tion, the next stage was initial road tri- demonstrates Boever compounds against other proposed tech- Results als. Here the Genesis hybrid compounds how Genesis can nology solutions. This testing covered Tensile and elongation strength are were comprised of part virgin 75 percent be combined with clients’ compounds. laboratory evaluation against the control used by the rubber industry as bench- and part Genesis compounds at 25 per- Boever is the co-author of three arti- compounds, and also in a highly con- marks in evaluating rubber compounds cent in the master batch compound. cles in rubber publications. trolled environment testing against vir- for tire performance. Our evaluation Truck compounds chosen were NR and Marvin Myhre is a chemist and gin control tires to gauge performance of study looked at different levels of Gene- BR matrices and premium formulations owner of Canadian Rubber Testing the Genesis compounds in real road trials. sis compounds added into the virgin tire and a passenger SBR formulation based Development Ltd. His 45-year career This government-funded research compounds chosen. on industry formulations known from the in rubber began with Dunlop Tire program proved that a tire with the Test slabs of both virgin and hybrids research center’s own experience. Research Center in Toronto. After Genesis technology was possible with 25 (part virgin and part Genesis), were that he opened Canadian Rubber percent recycled content in truck and evaluated against all the parameters Fig. 2: This shows the “Impossible Testing and began working with re- passenger testing. The other proposed that standard compounds would be Tire,” the world’s first OTR with 50 per- cycled rubber. Myhre has given sever- technologies failed at the laboratory tested against. This development work cent Genesis evolution compounds in al presentations dealing with various level and tire manufacturing stage. has been independently undertaken by a the main compound. aspects of recycling and has orga- These new hybrid, part-virgin and rubber research laboratory to interna- nized recycling educational courses. part-Genesis compounds had an im- tional standards used by the industry. Myhre has spoken at the Tire & proved rolling resistance when compared Normally, when crumb rubber is add- Rubber Association of Canada, to the control tire by 9-10 percent on a ed to virgin compounds, the tensile and co-authored three recycling reviews standard drum test versus the control elongation properties declines and con- and wrote a chapter in a rubber re- cycling book. Fig. 1: Description of Genesis technology. Most of Myhre’s work at Canadian Rubber Testing has been to develop specialized compounds to meet spec- ifications for products used with the rubber industry. Neil Powell is an experienced commercial business development manager for BSI U.K. He has more than 25 years knowledge of com- pounding and polymer formulation Fig. 3: The “Impossible” tires fitted to development, the earthmover truck. having worked with many of the major tire com- panies in aiding them with the compounding re- quirement while Table 1: Passenger tire rolling resistance testing 25 percent Genesis evolution working for Avon compounds. Rubber. He over- saw the testing Powell of the Genesis technology along with the United Kingdom partners. 18 Rubber & Plastics News • May 6, 2019 www.rubbernews.com Technical
compare the control versus the hybrid on the wear data of the retread compound the need for silica in the tire formulation. the same tire, and then to build individ- held by the research institute. From this initial trial, further devel- Tire ual tires. This trial was successful and The high severity environment was opment work progressed over two years trials proceed to full testing on individu- the fourth axle of a tipper style dumper using Genesis compounds polymer treat- Continued from page 17 al tires with both 25 percent in the base truck where abrasion is the highest due ment process to study the various sourc- laboratory test data, and tires were made compounds. to tires literally being dragged around es of crumb rubber to optimize the treat- with 25 percent of the surfaced treated The overall results of the trial showed the corners and tires scrubbing on the ment formulations into various compounds, compound, as this compound from labora- that in low and medium severity the Gen- surface. This is standard on tires through- not just tire compounds. tory testing showed the greatest promise. esis compounds at 25 percent inclusion in out the tire industry. The crumb size for the trial was 30-40 Road trials started with two hybrid the virgin compound, the test tire wore 10 The conclusion of the first trial was mesh crumb rubber. There is no need for compounds on the same tire to establish percent better than the control. In the that it is technically possible to create a fine powder solutions, though fine rubber wear properties. Three environments were medium severity environment, the 25 tire with a 25 percent Genesis rubber powers are normally contained within the selected: Low, medium and high severity. percent were equivalent to the control tire. matrix and produce tires with both low- 30-40 mesh crumb. Future articles will Low severity tests used trailer tires In the higher severity environment, er rolling resistance and better compa- be issued on Genesis evolution compounds on a long haul 40-foot container vehicle. the Genesis compounds tire wore 10 per- rable wear in real life. with other polymer groups. Medium and high severity were on the cent faster than the control tire. The Genesis passenger tire offered a third and fourth axle of a tipper truck A standard industry retread compound lower rolling resistance equal to a silica OTR/truck trials with four tires on each axle accordingly. would have worn far faster when the tire recipe compound. The lower rolling The next stage of testing was to inves- The dual section tire testing was to Genesis compounds were compared with resistance of the Genesis compounds tigate how much of Genesis compounds showed that is it possible to create a tire treated crumb rubber could be added Fig. 4: Hours of wear per millimeter U.K. wear test on third and fourth axle comparison. with a silica-based performance without into a tire compound successfully. It was decided to test tire compounds with 40 Fig. 5: The Canadian tire size with our percent and 50 percent Genesis com- supporting partner. pounds in the OTR formulations to as- sess how far a tire compound could go with the Genesis compounds added to the master batch. The laboratory development had shown technical possibility. The challenge was to see how Genesis compounds would per- form in both tire manufacture and use. An OTR commercial retreader was approached, who agreed to undertake the trials. Again, a government grant was awarded to undertake the development work, and the global rubber laboratory was involved to oversee the trials. The OTR premium compound was then blended with the Genesis evolution compounds using the existing retread- See Tire, page 19
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rubbernews.com www.rubbernews.com Rubber & Plastics News • May 6, 2019 19 World Summit probes LSR 3D printing By David Vink of infilling. These approaches “provide LSR World best print configuration by producing MILAN—Silicones Europe (CES) best looking and functional perfor- trade association Secretary General mance,” Ziebell said. Pierre Germain gave an update on 3D Ziebell said printing in a programmed printing of liquid silicone rubber at the direction creates anisotropy, rather Silicone Elastomers World Summit, like flow lines from an injection mold- held recently in Milan. ing gate. R.D. Abbott made 3D printing In one example, a high-temperature and injection molding comparisons of vulcanizing solid silicone rubber pros- Evolv3D LC 3335 from Dow Silicones, thetic foot made by Stamos + Braun a type of LSR that is analogous to Prothesenwerk GmbH in Dresden, commercial injection molding grades, Germany, has been enhanced with a yet with curing behavior adapted for soft, fast printing 3D printed UV-cur- 3D printing. ing LSR lattice structure inlay for en- Ziebell concluded that although hanced comfort. printed properties do not exactly match The project was developed at Dres- molded ones, test bar values obtained den Technical University’s IFD insti- were similar and that compression set tute for fine mechanics and electronic values did not differ by more than 5 design. An HTV silicone prosthetic foot with lightweight 3D printed LSR insert. percent. Stamos + Braun was established in R.D. Abbott and Dow Silicones work 2013 by Managing Director Alex Sta- tines and spleens. As Germain pointed overlap are important considerations closely with 3D printing machinery mos and CEO Christoph Braun, with out, ETH University in Zurich, Swit- for optimal printing.” producer German RepRap GmbH in the former focusing on aesthetic as- zerland, already has made a 3D print- The best adhesion of beads and lay- Feldkirchen, which in November com- pects and the latter on technical func- ed silicone heart. ers is obtained, Ziebell said, “when mercially launched its new L280 tioning aspects. Rick Ziebell of Cerritos, Calif.-based materials flow together.” printer, dedicated to printing the Dow IFD says the new insert reduced the R.D. Abbott Co. Inc. also addressed He revealed that beads have been halogen lamp heat-curing Evolve3D weight of the cushion function by 70 LSR 3D printing: “Silicones, and more found to adhere better when successive LC 3335 grade. That launch happened percent over non-latticed silicone gel specifically liquid silicone rubber, are layers are laid down parallel with off- at the Formnext 2018 trade show. previously used. Initial tests have been uniquely suited for their flowable vis- set orientation, with all beads aligned Also at Formnext 2018, Wacker successful, opening opportunities to cosity at room temperature and fast with each other, so that the following ACEO launched a new 3D printable develop artificial hands and fingers heat-activated cure system.” layer can “infill” the trough between electrically conductive LSR, developed with integrated bone structures di- Ziebell described how a printer lays the beads of the preceding layer. with Duderstadt, Germany-based Cin- rectly in a single printing process. down a continuous bead for each layer Extrusion at a rate greater than the ogy GmbH for the conductive area of The researchers also see potential and that “directional, bead thickness, linear travel of the dispensing head its PlasmaDerm silicone cold plasma for 3D printed hearts, kidneys, intes- bead separation and layer-to-layer results in overflow for a higher degree wound care dressing device. Technical
demonstrated that the tires are capable of tion in use depending on service condi- factors yet to be discovered. As shown by high inclusion rates within an OTR tire us- tions, mainly urban and highway. The the trials, the Genesis nano polymers Tire ing Genesis compounds and giving im- reduction in rolling resistance is sub- hold the key to making the “Impossible proved operating wear life over the new tire. stantial against the control tire. Tire” possible today. Continued from page 18 As the data presented shows, it is In the wear trials, the low to medium There is no need to wait for 30 years of er’s compound. Tires were manufactured possible to manufacture tires with 40 severity environments, the 40 percent development to get to the 30 percent of with 40 percent and 50 percent included percent and 50 percent Genesis evolu- tire outperformed the control tire by 20- recycled rubber goal laid down by Mi- in the virgin compound. tion compounds in the virgin compounds 25 percent. The 50 percent tire is still on chelin. As indicated in this article, it is The ‘hybrid’ Genesis compounds tires successfully. test, the wear figures have initially shown possible today. The Genesis compound were fitted to a Moxy earthmover truck The Canadian tests on the OTR tires only a 4.5 percent faster wear against the tire is not dependent on crops for its (Fig. 2). mirrored the U.K. testing with tires in control tire to date. source of raw materials. This earthmover truck operated on a steel mills, quarry pits and earth works. During the study, the tires were mea- Genesis compounds allow the waste tire mixed earth works remediation site with The tests ran for two years. Tires contain- sured at the first 4 mm of wear. This to become a sustainable material for re- a variable terrain during the test period. ing 20 percent and 40 percent of Genesis wear is considered the fastest time as peated future reuse. Our own testing has The OTR trials were also undertaken compound in the tread increased the the tires top compound is worn down shown that crumb from 25 repeated poly- overseas, (again at 40 percent and 50 tread wear life by 11-13 percent. faster here and good assessment of wear mer treatment cycles is as good as the first percent loading), and similar wear data life is determined at this point. polymer treatment cycle, creating a near was obtained with comparable results. U.K. truck tire testing After this initial wear period the tire infinite resource from the waste tire for Both trials have shown that tires with Parallel to the OTR trials, truck tires wear rate declines more slowly per miles re-use and ongoing manufacture. Genesis evolution compounds at such a also were undertaken to determine if such or kilometers traveled. (This figure is Thus, the waste tire is a truly sustain- high inclusion rate also have outper- tires with high inclusion rates of Genesis based upon the first 4mm wear of the able source of raw materials for reuse formed the virgin tire with improved compounds can be used in truck tires. The control tire. Over the service life wear again and again in tires. One hundred wear of up to 14 percent. main laboratory undertook the compound rate usually reduces so that over the life percent tire recycling is possible with a The Genesis hybrid and the control evaluation, tire build and road testing. of the tire its predicted service life in- low or near-zero carbon footprint and tires were fitted to the earthmover truck Rolling resistance tests were carried creases.) The 40 percent Genesis inner non-fossil fuel-based sources. in the United Kingdom (Fig. 3). out to the international standards previ- test tire wore 8 percent better than the Genesis compounds have shown it is not Fig. 4 shows that the Genesis com- ously used and the 40 percent and 50 control tire and the 40 percent Genesis only true, but that the “Impossible Tire” is pounds can operate successfully at 40 per- percent showed a reduction in rolling outer tire wore 20 percent better than possible and are the beginning of a new cent and 50 percent replacement of the resistance, as follows in Tables 2 and 3. the outer control tire. era in rubber compounding, one that can virgin compound material. The ISO standard reports rolling re- have a major impact in bringing the green sistance in terms of the Kgf at the rim. Summary tire and sustainability forward some 30 Canadian testing The observed 20 percent reduction in Michelin’s vision for both the 2030 years by making a minor change yet hav- The Genesis compounds tires here oper- rolling resistance in the table would be and 2048 tire with biopolymers is well ing a huge impact upon the next genera- ated in quarries and steel works. This expected to give a 3.5 percent fuel reduc- into the future and dependent on many tion and the planet accordingly.
Fig 6: U.K. truck tire testing with 40 percent Genesis evolution inclusion in the Table 2: Comparative rolling resistance Genesis evolution compounds against the virgin compound. control tire.
Table 3: 40 percent Genesis evolution compounds truck tires comparative wear data against the control.