In what could be a significant development for tyres and mobility in general, the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has signed a collaboration agreement and letter of intent with Monolith, leader in the carbon-free hydrogen, for the development and potential use of carbon black produced from methane and/or biomethane for tyres.
Carbon black produced through a plasma-based methane pyrolysis process will help advance Goodyear’s work to identify and use more sustainable materials, the company said.
Carbon black, which comes from the combustion of residual oil or coal tar oil traditionally, is a key ingredient in tyres, providing compounds in the tyres with strength, improved tear resistance, and increased abrasion resistance. A typical consumer tyre is made of 15-20% carbon black by weight.
The leading tyre maker is evaluating carbon black produced from methane and/or biomethane as part of its work with Monolith. Monolith’s plasma-based process takes advantage of renewable electricity to complete methane pyrolysis and results in the output of only carbon and hydrogen, a release issued by the companies said.
Chris Helsel, Senior Vice President, Global Operations and Chief Technology Officer, Goodyear said the company is committed to sustainability and making a positive impact by its choice of materials used. “Our collaboration with Monolith is one example of how we are using sustainable materials in quality products that deliver a better future,” he said.
Rob Hanson, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Monolith said the company is eager to see what advancements this collaboration will bring to the tyre industry. “We’re proud to collaborate with Goodyear on high-quality, clean carbon black and support their ongoing mission to make their tyres more sustainable,” Hanson said.
Better Emissions
A third party life cycle assessment completed for Monolith shows the plasma-based process should result in environmental benefits across the life cycle, including a reduction in carbon emissions, compared to traditionally produced carbon black. In addition, it found that this technology has the potential for a carbon-neutral to carbon-negative impact, based on increased utilisation of biomethane feedstock versus natural gas in the future.
The company stated that Monolith’s life cycle assessment is currently scheduled to undergo an external review.