Sibur develops new rubber for winter tires

Nizhnekamsk, Russia – Nizhnekamskneftekhim, part of Russian energy and petrochemical group Sibur, has launched the industrial-scale production of a new functionalised styrene-butadiene rubber for winter tires.

In a 28 April statement, Sibur said DSSK-615V rubber has been trialled by domestic tire maker Ikon Tyres and the tire was tested on a frozen lake in Yugra, central Russia.

The new brand was developed as part of Sibur’s “import substitution programme,” to replace imported articles from Germany, Japan and South Korea, said the group.

“In the current geopolitical conditions, the creation of a domestic alternative has become a critical task for the industry,” Sibur added.

With a low glass transition temperature, DSSK-615V is suitable for use in passenger car and light truck tires of all-season and winter range, as well as bus and truck tires.

The material is claimed to provide strong performance properties in winter conditions: low rolling resistance, enhanced grip on icy roads and wear resistance.

Sibur said it conducted “comprehensive testing” to verify the reliability and safety of tires tires manufactured with the new rubber. 

This included the production of “experimental” non-studded winter tires Ikon Autograph Snow 3, which underwent “unique testing on the open ice of a frozen lake near Nizhnevartovsk.”

“The tests showed stable performance during acceleration, braking, obstacle avoidance, and slalom driving,” Sibur said.

According to Anatoly Svetlikov, director of the transport division of Sibur, the joint effort has led to a “localisation level of 99% [in the tire industry]”.

The next stage, he said, is the replacement of natural rubber, the supply of which is completely dependent on Southeast Asia.

Ikon and Sibur are separately working on a project to produce tires entirely based on synthetic rubber to reduce dependence on natural rubber imports. (ERJ report)