New Tires That Save Money, Protect Environment Expected Soon 

Products Use Specialty Chemical Company Degussa’s Advanced Technology 

PARSIPPANY, N. J., August 22, 2007 – Advanced environmentally-friendly, fuel efficient tire technology now developed in Europe could soon be available to aid consumers in the United States.  

New materials for tire technology being developed by Degussa – a wholly owned subsidiary of the Essen, Germany-based RAG Group – could mean dramatic changes for American tire buyers. “US consumers are getting much more demanding regarding fuel efficiency and the impact emissions have on the environment,” said Dr. Hans-Detlef Luginsland, Director, Strategic Marketing Rubber Silicas and Rubber Silanes, at Degussa. “With new materials and better technologies, the US tire manufacturers can take the lead.”  

Tires are one of the most important parts of the car, he noted. Scientists know that the lower the rolling resistance coefficient, the less energy is used while the tire is in motion. To help lower rolling resistance – the force required to move a vehicle over the road – without sacrificing on the mileage and safety, Degussa researchers have developed the revolutionary silica technology involving bi-functional organo silicon compounds (organo silanes) that serve as coupling agents.  

The organo silane acts like a bridge between the rubber and the reinforcing agent silica – which is industrially produced from the unlimited resource sand. By using this silica technology, not only is the fuel efficiency improved by 3-5% compared to tires using only carbon black as reinforcing agent, but also the tire’s wet traction is increased, a crucial safety feature for driving on wet and slippery roads.  

An educated US consumer can benefit from gasoline savings and make the choice to purchase tires containing the silica technology, now offered by all major tire manufactures in their premium segment.

But this is not the end of the road concerning road safety and helping the environment. Degussa scientists have created a new product, VP Si 363, aimed at further improving tire performance. “Researchers at Degussa’s Advanced Fillers & Pigments Business Unit have intensively studied the mechanism behind the silica technology in their quest to find ways to reduce rolling resistance,” Luginsland said.  

The hurdle for Degussa's scientists was to enhance tire performance by reducing the rolling resistance, without sacrificing the other tire performance parameters. With the innovative organo silane VP Si 363 researchers found the breakthrough to further improve the fuel efficiency by 2-3%.  

Lower rolling resistance means a car uses less gas, producing fewer carbon dioxide emissions. Degussa’s silica technology is not only gentler on the wallet but also kinder to the environment and could be an important contribution in the global warming fight.

Degussa: Creating Essentials™
Degussa Corporation is part of Degussa GmbH – a wholly owned subsidiary of the RAG Group. Degussa GmbH is the global market leader in specialty chemicals. Its business is creating essentials: innovative products and system solutions that make indispensable contributions to its customers’ success. In fiscal 2006 around 36,000 employees worldwide generated sales of 10.9 billion euros and operating profits (EBIT) of more than 870 million euros.