Black Donuts has launched the material research center InTire Labs, an open, collaborative, joint R&D innovation platform dedicated to researching, analyzing and testing sustainable bio-based materials for tire manufacturing.
The company says its core mission is to accelerate the transition from fossil-based raw materials in rubber compounds to more environmentally biobased, renewable, recycled and recyclable raw materials.
The primary research goal is to reduce fossil-derived microplastic emissions from tire wear by replacing tread rubber raw materials with more biodegradable options.
Equipped with modern pilot-scale mixing and curing machinery, Mooney viscometers, aging and thermal analysis chambers and testing technologies, InTire Labs supports the full lifecycle — from early compound formulation to performance validation.
In addition to developing new materials, the lab is concentrating on advancing intelligent manufacturing through researching integration of smart sensors into rubber products, smart MES systems for digitalized and optimized R&D processes, remote monitoring of energy use and equipment performance, and traceability and recycling strategies to support circular economies.
The company is also exploring pyrolysis and post-treatment methods to produce high-quality recycled materials locally and collect material parameters to build digital material models for simulating tire performance.
In related news, Michelin has announced the construction of an initial industrial demonstration unit for production of the 5-HMF molecule – a bio-sourced and non-toxic molecule which can be used to replace ingredients derived from fossil fuels in a wide variety of industrial fields. Read the full story here
