Global synthetic rubber company Arlanxeo introduced two new commercialised Solution Styrene-B
utadiene Rubbers (SSBR) that feature 1st and 2nd generation functionalisation technologies respectively: Buna FX 3234A-2 and Buna FX 5000. The new SSBR grades are designed to reinforce tyre performance.
Arlanxeo’s Tire & Specialty Rubbers (TSR) business unit offers a broad portfolio of versatile rubbers primarily for applications in tyre production. They are used in, for example, the inner liners (the airtight layers) of tyres as well as for the tread, side walls, and other tyre components.
Buna FX 3234A-2 is a high styrene SSBR featuring functional groups designed to interact with silica fillers in order to reduce rolling resistance in passenger tyre treads. The product contains 37.5 parts per hundred (phr) of TDAE (Treated Distillate Aromatic Extract) oil and is designed particularly for high performance summer tyres.
Buna FX 5000 is a high vinyl SSBR featuring Arlanxeo’s 2nd generation functionalisation technology also designed to interact with silica fillers to boost fuel economy thanks to its rolling resistance reduction. This product contains just 7 phr TDAE oil extension, which offers the compounder the chance to optimise rolling resistance further through reduction of filler loadings.
The product can also be considered for all season tyres because of the reduction in dynamic stiffness at low temperatures due to the reduced Payne effect encouraged by the improved polymer to filler interactions.
In addition, Arlanxeo also highlighted current developments in the keynote address, “Tire Industry 2030: from a synthetic elastomer supplier’s perspective”, which was presented by Dr. Thomas Gross, the head of global TS&D and R&D of Arlanxeo TSR.
They keynote aimed to translate automotive and tyre industry trends into tomorrow’s performance elastomers. Aspects such as material and technology developments, government regulations, market dynamics and sustainability were discussed, and the impact on the development activities of the entire value chain and, most particularly, raw material suppliers like Arlanxeo, were also analysed.