Tire manufacturer Bridgestone, synthetic rubber producer Arlanxeo and Solvay, a developer of Highly Dispersible Silica (HDS), have announced the launch of TECHSYN, a co-developed tire technology platform which they claim will enable tires to deliver unrivalled strength and environmental performance.
According to the group, the platform combines chemically optimized synthetic rubber with tailor-made silica, interacting at a molecular level, to deliver outstanding performance with no trade-offs. Each of the materials was developed in parallel by the three companies and are said to enable tires to achieve up to 30% better wear efficiency, and a rolling resistance that is reduced by up to 6% (compared with Bridgestone’s conventional summer products), without compromising any other performance areas.
Transformed from concept to reality in just 24 months, TECHSYN was made possible, the companies say, thanks to their unique cooperation and understanding, and leveraging their combined knowledge of molecular mechanisms.
It is claimed that the technology also has the ability to balance a tire’s performance across rolling resistance, wear and wet grip, and can be further adapted to meet varying needs. For example, the wear advantage can be converted to instead enhance wet grip. This, the companies say, is achievable thanks to Solvay’s advanced silica developments, Arlanxeo’s expertise in developing and manufacturing novel tire polymers and Bridgestone’s innovative compound technology. Bridgestone says it is already preparing implementation of TECHSYN for mass production, with various tire categories and vehicles in mind.
Laurent Dartoux, president and CEO, Bridgestone EMIA, said, “At Bridgestone, we fundamentally believe that ground-breaking innovation and the future of mobility can’t be achieved without collaboration. The partnership in which TECHSYN is rooted has evolved to become one of the most unique we have ever been part of.
“As a global leader in advanced solutions and sustainable mobility, we’re moving forward with innovation and sustainability at the core of everything we do at Bridgestone. Through developing environmentally driven solutions like TECHSYN, we’re making great progress on delivering against that ambition.”
