Coal-to-tire May be Future’s Development Trend

As everyone knows that the main material of tire is rubber. Rubber can be generally divided into natural rubber and synthetic rubber.

Natural rubber comes from rubber plant, while synthetic rubber is processed and refined from crude oil.

But China’s reserve of crude oil is limited and it depends largely on imports. Therefore, coal takes a large proportion in China’s energy structure.

With the adjustment of China’s energy structure, coal has been under an overcapacity situation, and scientists thought about producing rubber and plastic from coal.

During the process, the key technology is DMTO.

Does that mean tires used by vehicles and aircrafts will be made from coal in the future?

（Photos from Kexuedayuan Wechat)