Soybean Oil Can Reduce Use Of Petroleum In Tyres

Goodyear researchers have found that using soybean oil in tyres can potentially increase tread life by 10 per cent and reduce the use of petroleum based oil by seven million gallons (26.5 million litres) each year.

According to the Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Company soybean oil also improves mixing capabilities in the manufacturing process with rubber compounds made with soybean oil blending easier with silica used in building tyres.

“Consumers benefit through improved tread life, Goodyear gains with increased efficiency and energy savings and we all win whenever there is a positive impact on the environment,” said Jean-Claude Kihn, Goodyear’s chief technical officer.

Prototype tyres built in Lawton, US, will be tested at Goodyear’s Proving Grounds in San Angelo, Texas in the coming months, with tyres expected to be on sale as early as 2015 should the tests remain positive.

Funded by the Soybean Board (USB) with 500,000$US Goodyear will display a tyre made with soybean oil at The Ford Motor Company’s research centre in Dearborn, Michigan early August.