German chemical company Lanxess says it has developed Vulkanox 4060, a new anti-aging agent for the tyre industry. The additive with the chemical name CCPD (N,N’-Dicyclohexyl-p-phenylenediamine) was designed as an alternative to 6PPD – an anti-aging agent used in nearly all tyres to protect them from damage caused by oxygen and ozone.
The degradation products of 6PPD, particularly 6PPD quinone, which has been linked to coho salmon die-offs in the U.S., have been the subject of criticism for some time. In environmental studies conducted to date, CCPD quinone, the corresponding transformation product of Vulkanox 4060, demonstrated no observed acute effects in coho salmon testing up to the solubility limit. With the completion of EU REACH registration, Vulkanox 4060 is now also approved for use in the European market.
Lanxess says Vulkanox 4060 highlights its commitment to the “Safe and Sustainable by Design” principle. The active ingredient CCPD was selected from the outset with the goal of improving the environmental profile, taking into account degradability, bioaccumulation, aquatic toxicity, and regulatory compliance.
The product is thus tailored to the growing demands of tyre manufacturers, who must future-proof their supply chains in light of increasingly stringent environmental regulations.