Research on graphene rubber composites, conducted by Linglong Tire and Beijing University of Chemical Technology has been audited by the Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission, according to the tyre company.
As a result, Linglong says its research demonstrates the viability of using graphene in the production of energy-efficient tyres. Trial production of the company’s graphene-enhanced tyre has since completed on Linglong’s semi-steel radial tyre production line in Zhaoyuan, China.
Part of the research involved applying a low-cost graphene pre-treatment to the tread formula. After the pre-treatment was applied, the graphene-enhanced tyre could be produced with the existing production process and equipment with only small adjustments.
Linglong says its graphene tyre is “extremely safe, anti-static, and fuel efficient, achieving an A grade for fuel efficiency and wet grip under the European tyre labelling system”. The abrasion resistance and thermal
conductivity of the tyre are also extremely high, according to the company.
A small amount of graphene in polymer composites can significantly improve the conductivity and thermal conductivity of the material, according to Linglong. Graphene is also ultra-high strength and its large surface enables improvements to the abrasion resistance of rubber composites.
