GOODYEAR: THE FUTURE TOMORROW
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• In its search for a truck tyre that is more durable, fuel efficient and resistant to punctures, Goodyear is developing a number of synthetic compounds. Until now synthetic materials have not been common in new CV tyres (they're generally restricted to the tread) but they are routinely used in retreads.
While tyre manufacturers have created synthetic compounds to match the chemical properties of natural rubber, they haven't yet managed to match all the characteristics of the "real thing".
Synthetic compounds offer better heat resistance than rubber, so they are well suited to the interior of the casing and on treads. But natural rubber offers greater "rebound" which is good news for fuel economy due to its reduced energy loss as the tyre moves down the road. Conversely, while rubber's greater flexibility is right for the sidewall, harder compounds are preferred around the bead area.
Among the new tyre components being evaluated by Goodyear are ultra-high-tensile wires (providing even greater strength to the casing but with less weight), and tyre compounds such as silica and pulped Kevlar fibres, which could stiffen a carcass and increase tread life.
Among the R&D team's goals is a run-flat tyre able to cover 200 miles when deflated without wrecking the casing.
Significantly, Goodyear's European researchers are now said to be ahead of their US counterparts when it comes to reducing tyre noise.