Silica for high performance tires Paulo Garbelotto Business Development Manager, Rhodia AUTOMOTIVE DAY BRASIL, October 6, 2011
trillion liters gasoline equivalent Billion vehicles Why sustainable mobility? Global trend to double the number of vehicles in the next 30 years To meet the sustainability challenge: Limit the greenhouse gas emissions to sustainable levels Reduce conventional emissions: carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, VOC, particulates, plumb Reduce the reliance on fossil fuels, which have limited capacity 2 1,5 1 5 Number of light vehicles estimates per region 0 2000 2010 2020 2030 2050 2050 Total Africa LATAM Middle East India Asia - other China East Europe Old USSR OECD Pacific OECD Europe OECD NAFTA Worldwide use of fuel in transportation (all transport modes) 5 4 3 2 Total Other Residual Fuel Aviation Fuel Diesel Gasoline 1 2 Source: Mobility 2030 Report Overview 2004 0 2000 2010 2020 2030 2050 2050
Interesting trends... Increase of around 30% in passenger cars weight in the last 20 years Strong growth de large vehicles in Europe SUV demand doubled in 5 years Small and medium-sized vehicles still have the main market share Dominance of large vehicles in North America Strong market participation of SUV s and pickups Reduction of small and medium SUV s Golf I Year 1974-1983 Weight 750 kg Golf II 1983-1990 900 kg Golf III 1991-1996 1,000 kg Golf IV 1997-2002 1,080 kg Golf V 2003-1,150 kg 3 Source: Mobility 2030 Report Overview 2004
Tires rolling resistance is a vital factor in the reduction of fuel consumption and emissions Rolling resistance: > 20% of the resistance forces of a tire Tires Engine, aerodynamics, other To move a vehicle, four resistance forces have to be overcome: Vehicle inertia Aerodynamics project Vehicle inner losses Tire rolling resistance fuel CO2 emissions (+ CO, NO X, ) Inner losses Vehicle inertia Aerodynamics 4 Source: Factbook Michelin; Pre-Consultant BV, Method Eco-Indicator 99 Tire rolling resistance
Ecopoints Regarding the tire lifecycle, the silica environmental impact is lower than carbon black Analysis of the standard European car tire lifecycle The utilization phase has the higher contribution for the environmental load in a car tire lifecycle The most important aspect is the fuel consumption that can be attributed to rolling resistance, approximately 20% Average production cradle to gate Car tire debris Use phase fuel consumption Car tire EOL processing For 1 metric ton of CO2 emitted during the production of highperformance silica, the Rhodia technology contributes to save 40 metric tons of CO2 for the community Carbon Black Silica 5 Source: Factbook Michelin; Pre-Consultant BV, Method Eco-Indicator 99
Two kinds of precipitated silica applications in tires Silica for Green Tires reinforcement load for running tread passenger car tires high silica content (> 40 phr or >50% of total reinforcement load) needs aligned with the use of high performance silica Tread Area Rib Tread Block Grooves Sipes Shoulder Cap Plies Silica for traditional applications running band, body, belts passenger car tires & truck tires (tear resistance and stone chip resistance, grip) low silica content these properties can be achieved through the application of conventional silica Steel Belts Radial Plies Bead Chaffers Bead 6
Silica dispersibility in rubber: a feature needed for reinforcement Limitation of silica use due to a reinforcement issue caused by the low dispersion level of the load itself, and also the good interaction between the rubber hydrocarbon chains (SBR, NR, or BR) and the silica hydrophilic surface The highly dispersible silica became a worldwide reference of low tire rolling resistance with no damage to reinforcement (abrasion resistance) Dispersibility characterization Dispersion in rubber characterization 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 HDS Std SiO2 MEV of vulcanized samples 0.2 0.0 0.1 1 10 100 Granulometry in water after US treatment 7 Source: Factbook Michelin; Pre-Consultant BV, Method Eco-Indicator 99
Silica aggregate
The Green Tire Concept: reduces the tire rolling resistance without performance loss Combining a specific synthetic rubber and a coupling agent like silane, in early 1990 s, Rhodia launched a new silica for Green Tires technology Increase of silica use based on the search for a better performance of tires and automobiles, causing a significant development of know how of the silica compounds processing Rolling resistance Silica Si O Sulphur bridge Polymer Wear resistance 130 120 110 100 90 80 70 Wet braking Silane segment Processing Driving behavior 9 Source: Customer data Carbon black Conventional silica Highly dispersible silica
Safety is compatible with low energy consumption tires The tires that have high wet braking can also have high rolling resistance Performance increased by technology (project, materials) Snow traction Rolling resistance 120 110 100 Wear resistance 90 Consequences on the separate features of ABS Viscoelastic behavior controls the grip level Silica reinforced running treads are more flexible dynamically and achieve a larger contact area Silica Noise Wet traction Carbon black 10 Source: DIK - Deutsches Institut für Kautschuktechnologie e.v
Nearly 20 years of sustained cutting-edge silica technology for tires On the 5 year horizon, our innovation resources should be prioritized on product extensions and key breakthrough projects such as Truck tire 2015 Key innovations New generation products Improved wear & rolling resistance 2008 Ultra low rolling resistance Easy mixing Rhodia invests in highly dispersible silica 1992 11 Source: Rhodia Silica, IRC Brazil, June 2011 High surface Improved sport handling Low surface Better processing & improved wet grip Solution for truck tires Breakthrough process innovation Improvement in capital efficiency
Meeting customers needs: 2 major site expansion in 2011 bringing our total worldwide capacities to 420 kt Additional capacity 38 kt Precipitated silica Highly dispersible silica (HDS) Tixosil Global research 8 factories and 4 R&D centers North America 14% Chicago USA Barquisimeto Venezuela Livorno Italy Europe 36% Collonges France Qingdao China Chengyang Key innovations Asia 39% Qingdao China Licang Incheon Korea R&D sites 4 12 Market positioning nº 1 Tire silica Latin America 11% Source: Rhodia Silica, IRC Brazil, June 2011 Paulínia Brazil Reserve markets % WW Capacity Decongesting R&D center Factories
Rhodia HDS portfolio Highly dispersible silica Very low SSA Low SSA Reference HDS High SSA* High SSA Name Zeosil 1085Gr Zeosil 1115MP Zeosil 1165MP Zeosil Premium200MP ZHRS 1200MP Aspect White micro-granulate White micropearl Location France South Korea EU: FR, I/USA/Asia: SK CN Typical analysis France CTAB (m 2 /g) 80 110 160 200 195 BET (m 2 /g) 90 115 165 215 200 Processing 5 4 3 2 1 RR 5 4 3 4 2 Handling 1 2 3 4 5 Wear performance 1 2 3 5 4 Dry Grip 1 2 3 3 3 Wet Grip 5 4 3 2 2 Ice/Snow Grip 5 4 3 1 2 Italy Example of associated tire range Tires with high wet/snow/ice grip (winter tire) Fuel efficient tires, Asia standards OE+ (RT) Fuel efficient tires West EU & USA standards OE+ (RT) New generation fuel efficient tires (EU/labelling) UHP tires Sport tires 13 Source: Rhodia Silica, IRC Brazil, June 2011 * High aggregate size Satisfactory Good Very good Excellent Premium
Rhodia is committed to reducing fuel consumption & greenhouse gas emission Since the start of silica use in Green Tires, in the early 1990 s, Rhodia facilities produced more than 800,000 metric tons of silica for the tire industry Rhodia technology contributed to: The reduction of fuel consumption equivalent to 50 billion liters The reduction of 50 mm tons of CO2 emissions the equivalent to the carbon absorbed by 1.25 billion trees in a year (Based on the global model according to which 20% lower rolling resistance reduces 5% of CO2 emissions) Key innovations 14 Source: Rhodia Silica, IRC Brazil, June 2011
«Let s innovate for sustainable performance»