Continental and Kordsa’s new sustainable, RF-free adhesive technology for bonding textile reinforcing materials with rubber compounds has been branded ‘Cokoon’. Continental will manufacture the first tires using this technology in 2019.
Jointly developed by the two companies, it enables bonding activation of textile reinforcing materials without the use of resorcinol and formaldehyde.
The two companies are offering the technology to the whole tire industry as an open source solution. Free licensing will be handled by independent law firm Advinno.
Continental and Kordsa have chosen to waive development or licensing fees. In return they expect licensees to make any patents for further enhancement of the technology available to the other partners free of charge via a licensing pool. Interested companies can request lab samples now.
“We need to break new ground to master the upcoming challenges the future will hold,” said Dr Andreas Topp, VP material and process development and industrialization at Continental Tires.
“The tire industry can send out a clear signal of its responsibility and innovative power by joining this environmentally friendly open source technology.”
Until now, resorcinol and formaldehyde have been irreplaceable in bonding activation of textile reinforcing materials to ensure robust adhesion to the surrounding rubber matrix.
As these substances are chemically altered by the vulcanization process, they do not escape from the finished products into the environment. Cokoon can be applied without changing any process equipment.
Devrim Özaydin, global technology director at Kordsa, added, “We are working continuously to introduce more environmentally friendly products in the interests of our employees, society and the environment.”
