Rome - Innovation to broaden and revitalise the rubber portfolio: Versalis presents the new path on the occasion of Tire Technology EXPO 2016 in Hanover.
The strategy of innovation has developed along three main subjects:
2. New rubber bioplasticisers : Matrilox™ P;
3. New BIO oil extended rubbers.
1. Latest generation of sSBR/Nd-BR for green tire
1.1 sSBR
Versalis is one of the very few sSBR manufacturers, with proprietary know-how, to produce both batch and continuous SSBR, hence offering to the market a wide products and performances portfolio.
Alongside the widely-established dry and oil grades portfolio, the commercial offer is expanding to solution SBR functionalised grades for both carbon blacks and silica, based on batch technology, with an enhanced balance of grip, low rolling and abrasion resistance, able to compete with state of the art grades in the market. Three main categories of new sSBR are on stream: high vinyl functionalised types for carbon black, high and medium vinyl grades functionalized for silica, low vinyl/low stirene grades functionalised for both silica and carbon grades, addressing most of tire tread requirements for both car and truck applications. All of them are already available for sampling and some have already been available at industrial scale, produced in the new expanded sSBR facility at Versalis plant in Grangemouth (UK) (capacity + 30 kt).
Among them:
Europrene SOL® R X 72616 functionalised for silica based PC treads, production planned;
Europrene SOL®R X 74618 functionalised for HP/UHP silica based PC tread, already available at industrial stage;
Europrene SOL R® LVLS functionalised for carbon black for winter treads (Tg -70°C), production planned.
All these grades are covering a wide range of Sty % / Tg, which are based on tailored polymer macrostructures, specifically designed to enhance interaction with fillers, thus improving final tread properties.
1.2 Europrene Neocis® : Neodimium based catalized polybutadienes
Latest generation of Europrene Neocis® offer includes new BR grades, both in dry and oil extended versions, providing an improved balance of easy processing and elastic/dynamic properties to match energy saving and enhanced performances needed by the newest generations of tires.
Europrene Neocis® BR 450 dry grade, Europrene Neocis® BRX 650 oil grade and Europrene Neocis® BRX 35 0E use a new kind of the Neodimium catalyst, refreshing and improving the technology proprietary know how, which Versalis owns since mid of ‘80ties.
Using Neodimium catalyst means that the polymerization is “green”, i.e. in aliphatic less impacting solvent, having an environmental friendly process, with lower energy consumptions and reduced emissions. This is the sustainable way approaching the tire industry.
2. Matrilox™ P, new bio-based plasticisers
The focus on innovation has been leading to additives for the rubber industry, developing a new product family of plasticisers from renewable source: Matrilox™ P, produced by Matrica, a 50:50 joint venture between Versalis and Novamont.
These include plasticisers for specialty elastomers and PVC as well as an innovative type of bio-extender oils for general purpose elastomers and compounding.
Matrilox™ PD bio-plasticisers offer a high-performance, non-toxic, eco-sustainable alternative to traditional plasticisers (like phthalates or adipates). These plasticisers, which have high molecular weight and low release levels, are able to achieve excellent plasticisation and exceptional thermal stability in NBR, CR, and other polar elastomers based compounds.
Matrilox™ PF 801 D has been specifically designed for the tire industry with the aim of partially or totally replacing oil of fossil origin. It can be used either for the production of oil-extended SBR and BR, or, when properly formulated, as free oil in the production of tire compounds. The peculiar nature of Matrilox® bio-sourced oil represents an additional tool to the tire industry for developing sustainable formulations with a unique property balance. The proposed novel plasticisers also provide opportunities to further expand the idea of green tires.
Available for sales:
Europrene 1739 BIO20 (oil extended TDAE/Matrilox 80/20)
Europrene 1739 BIO50 (oil extended TDAE/Matrilox 50/50)
Europrene 1789 BIO50 (oil extended TDAE/Matrilox 50/50)
Matrilox™ PF 801 D to be used as free oil in compounding
A constant upgrading of product performances and creating value in a sustainable way is Versalis’ distinctive way to meet the ever-growing challenging needs within the rubber market.
Versalis Conference: Wednesday 17 February
09:00 - room Five continents: “Macromolecular design at the service of the world of tires” -Antonio Giuseppe Solito, R&D scientist, Versalis, Italy
16:50 - room Sydney: “Tire and rubber, innovation and sustainability” - Fabio Bacchelli, Tire Technical Manager, Versalis, Italy