Good consumption from Goodyear

A new generation of silica is allowing Goodyear to decrease the impact of the rolling resistance of its tyres on a vehicle’s fuel consumption.

Silica is used as a reinforcing agent in tyre tread compounds. Compared to carbon black, a traditional reinforcing agent for tyres, silica reduces rolling resistance. Lower rolling resistance, in turn, improves a car’s fuel economy.

“Our customers around the world are demanding more fuel-efficient tyres, but they want us to minimise the typical trade-offs,” says David Zanzig, director of Global Materials Science for Goodyear.

“Our materials scientists worked in cross-functional teams. Together with tyre-design and construction engineers, they derived an integrated solution that optimises performance. This new silica plays a critical role in satisfying our customers’ needs.”

Goodyear researchers worked with PPG Industries, to examine the effects of chemically treated silica on tyre performance, for more than a decade. The result is the Goodyear EfficientGrip SUV tyre; the first of the company’s products to feature the technology.