Bridgestone researchers claim to have reduced tyre wear by 60%

Manufacturer working with universities on ‘ImPACT ‘resource-saving tyre polymer research

Bridgestone recently gave a presentation to the Japanese Cabinet Office on the subject of its “ImPACT” resource saving, strength increasing tyre polymer research project conduction in association with Tokyo University. The project, which seeks to bring government, industry and academia together are to: developing high-strength materials, making each component thinner and lighter; and to improve fuel economy and save resources through weight saving and increased durability as well as reduced fuel consumption. Initial results suggest the scientists “succeeded in the development of materials that [offer]…a 60 per cent reduction in wear rate.”

Moving forward, the research continue to be hopeful that they will surpass these rapid improvements even further: “In future, we aim to achieve both high toughness and high fuel economy at high level.”

This recent presentation was led by Bridgestone R&D program manager, Kozo Ito along and is based on research by Professor Kenji Urayama of Kyoto Institute of Technology, Professor Takeshi Okumura of Ochanomizu University/Tokyo University.

Kozo Ito commented: “We participate in the research and development program of Tough Poly, an innovative tough polymeric complex by collaboration between industry, government and academia…By making each member of the tyre thinner, it is possible to reduce the weight of the tyre and to reduce the amount of materials used, and further.

In addition, to developing a material with 60 per cent better wear properties, the Japanese researchers also claim that their “Tough Poly” is about four times stronger than conventional materials.

“…the university integrated laboratory experimental analysis and theoretical calculations with Bridgestone’s material technologies. By clarifying the essence of the crack propagation behaviour and rubber elasticity we succeeded in greatly suppressing the fast crack propagation in the material. It is a result that leads to an improvement in durability of a tyre and remarkable improvement in wear resistance performance…”, Ito concluded.