Lanxess advances 6PPD alternative for anti-aging tire protection

Cologne, Germany – Lanxess has launched Vulkanox 4060 – chemical name n,n'-dicyclohexyl-p-phenylenediamine (CCPD) – its previously announced alternative to 6PPD anti-aging agent for tire & rubber applications.

In an 8 Sept statement, the company said the additive addresses concerns around degradation products of 6PPD, particularly 6PPD quinone, which have been linked to coho salmon die-offs in the US.

According to Lanxess, environmental studies conducted to date show that CCPD quinone – the corresponding transformation product of Vulkanox 4060 – causes “no observed acute effects in coho salmon testing up to the solubility limit.”

Having completed EU REACH registration, the anti-ozonant/anti-oxidant is now also approved for use in the European market, the German chemicals supplier stated.

“Vulkanox 4060 is Lanxess’s response to a specific ecotoxicological and regulatory challenge the tire industry is facing,” said Holger Graf, head of the functional tire additives business line at Lanxess.

According to Graf, “extensive testing” by Lanxess and its customers has shown that CCPD matches the technical performance of 6PPD, while offering “a significantly improved environmental profile.”

Lanxess plans to begin initial commercial production of the product in the fourth quarter of 2026, expecting strong interest from customers across Europe and the US.

Vulkanox 4060 has featured strongly in the ERJ Elastomers for Sustainability ranking programme, including being selected as a finalist in the E4S Awards 2026. 

Click here to read more about the 'E4S: Lanxess Vulkanox' project details.