Researchers Use Wood Fibers to Make Tires Greener and Cheaper
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Oregon State University Researcher Kaichang Li is already well-known in the research world for developing a non-toxic, soy-based adhesive to make greener plywood for cabinets, so it’s almost no surprise that his next research discovery is along the same lines.
Turning his attention to the materials commonly used as reinforcing fillers in tires — carbon black and silica — Li has figured out a way to use plant products to substitute for these toxic and energy intensive conventional materials.
Li found that when he substituted wood fibers for a portion of the silica used in tires, making the tires would use less energy and cost less while at the same time improving the tire’s ability to withstand heat. Early testing also indicates that the tires are comparable to conventional tires in terms of handling and would make the cars more fuel efficient in hot weather.
Li’s previous adhesive research was quickly commercialized under the PureBond brand name, so presumably it won’t be long before we can start buying these new greener tires for our vehicles.
Source: OregonLive
Image Credit: www.ericcastro.biz‘s Flickr Photostream. Used under a Creative Commons License.
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