Author: RubberWorld

Researchers at North Carolina State University have created a new class of materials called “glassy gels” that are very hard and difficult to break despite containing more than 50% liquid. Coupled with the fact that glassy gels are simple to produce, the material holds promise for a variety of applications.

Gels and glassy polymers are classes of materials that have historically been viewed as distinct from one another. Glassy polymers are hard, stiff and often brittle. They’re used to make things like water bottles or airplane windows. Gels – such as contact lenses – contain liquid and are soft and stretchy.

Yokohama Tire and its auto manufacturing partners are ready to roll at the 102nd Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The tiremaker has totally dominated the Pikes Peak field the last two years on ADVAN® tires: two overall championships, 20 podium finishes and nine division wins. This year Yokohama is joining forces with Honda/Acura in their two-car effort along with Hyundai in their return to the mountain. In total, Yokohama will field 14 drivers in multiple divisions during the iconic 12.42.-mile “Race to the Clouds,” which takes place June 23 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

By 2023, the market for plastic-rubber composites is expected to be valued at USD 2,170.9 million. The market is projected to grow at a 5.3% CAGR and reach USD 3,638.5 million by 2033 according to Future Market Insights. When compared to single materials, these composites offer better performance attributes. These composites improve the overall performance, safety, and comfort of cars by combining the advantages of both plastic and rubber, such as impact resistance, durability, noise reduction, and vibration dampening.

Sumitomo Rubber Industries’ new synchrotron radiation technique is capable of measuring 0.1- to 100-nanosecond motion. Combining the innovative technique with conventional processes has made it possible to measure atomic or molecular motion in a wide time domain. It has been developed using SPring-81, a large synchrotron radiation facility, for the first time. Furthermore, the use of CITIUS2, the latest two-dimensional x-ray camera, has enabled them to measure not only the timescale of a moving object but its spatial scale at the same time. They succeeded in measuring molecular chain motion in rubber in a wide time domain of 0.1 to 100 nanoseconds by applying the developed technique to rubber material

ith the establishment of its own subsidiary in Romania in April 2024, Arburg has taken another important step in further increasing its local presence in the emergent economic region of South Eastern Europe. The new subsidiary is based in Bucharest and is headed up by Interim Managing Director Dr Daniel Orel, who is responsible for the Arburg subsidiaries in Czechia and Slovakia. The intention with this step is to bring Arburg products and services even closer to customers.

“Now is the time for politicians with core economic policy expertise,” said Michael Klein, President of the German Rubber Industry Association (wdk) on the outcome of the European elections in Frankfurt am Main. “As a result, we and the new EU Commission now have the unique opportunity to replace the ideologically dominated EU decisions of recent years with a European policy with a realistic economic policy foundation.”

WACKER, the Munich-based chemical company, will be presenting a selection of silicone products for battery technology and electromobility at this year’s Battery Show Europe. The focus will be on the potting compounds ELASTOSIL® CM 181 and ELASTOSIL® CM 185. The latter is a recent development which will be premiered at the show. Both products boost battery safety in electric vehicles. They ensure the reliable operation of battery cells and prevent fire from spreading in the event of thermal runaway in a cell. Battery Show Europe will be held in Stuttgart, Germany, from June 18 to June 20.

Continental and Rheinmetall have signed a letter of intent to cooperate. The aim of the agreement is to partly cover Rheinmetall’s fast-growing personnel requirements in the coming years with Continental employees affected by the transformation. Rheinmetall expects sales growth of up to 40 percent in the current fiscal year alone compared to the previous year, with correspondingly high personnel requirements in the longer term.

Firestone announced the launch of its first winter truck tire range, the Firestone Roadhawk Winter Drive and Firestone Roadhawk Winter Steer. Engineered for small to large European fleets seeking reliability and reduced ownership costs from their tires year-round, the Firestone Roadhawk Winter range is the smart choice from a brand with a 120-year legacy in the tire industry.