Bridgestone Americas has received a grant from the US Department of Energy (DOE) to develop a pilot plant for converting ethanol to butadiene, a key synthetic rubber component in tyres, with a lower carbon footprint. Partnering with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Bridgestone will scale a proprietary catalyst system co-developed by PNNL, aiming to replace fossil-fuel-based butadiene with a more sustainable ethanol-derived alternative.
The project will span three years: Year 1 will focus on designing the plant, Year 2 on construction in Akron, Ohio, and Year 3 on operations. This initiative supports Bridgestone’s goal of achieving 100% sustainable raw materials by 2050. Dr Mark Smale, Bridgestone’s Executive Director of Core Polymer Science, highlighted the project’s potential to revolutionise sustainable butadiene production for the tyre industry.