Michelin in new link-up to develop ‘rubber of the future’

Clermont-Ferrand, France – Michelin Group has launched a new collaboration with French academic research institutes to create “the rubber of the future,” with high sustainability credentials.

The French group, in partnership with National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), INSA Lyon, Lyon 1 University, and Jean Monnet University, inaugurated PolMixLab – an associated research laboratory – to conduct research on and develop next generation rubber.

In a 23 April statement, Michelin said the initiative looks to develop “new eco-designed, recyclable, and high-performance polymers that are less energy intensive to produce.”

The partnership expects to develop rubber materials for use in tire and non-tire application such as medical, aeronautics, and high-performance industrial equipment.

To be conducted over the course of four years, the project intends to “push back the technological limits of polymer materials”, through three research focuses:

• Reducing the amount of energy needed to manufacture elastomer materials via digital simulation as well as a focus on "the quality and homogeneity" of resulting blends.

• Obtaining new elastomer materials that surpass current performance limits through use of "innovative structures."

• Increasing the environmental performance of elastomers by integrating "short-loop recycling" from the polymer formulation phase.

The initiative, Michelin said, aims to respond to “contemporary industrial and environmental issues”, such as reducing the carbon footprint for processes, lengthening material lifespan, and optimising their performance.

PolMixLab is the 10th active associated research laboratory between the CNRS and Michelin.

“With PolMixLab, Michelin is strengthening its ability to anticipate and accompany major industrial and environmental issues connected to materials,” said Christophe Moriceau, VP advanced research for the Michelin Group.

The research, Moriceau said, includes the development of materials from biosourced resources, as well as control over material life cycle assessment, to create solutions for “numerous industrial applications beyond tires.”