Nokian, UPM Biochemicals develop carbon black alternative

NOKIA, Finland—Nokian Tyres P.L.C. and biomaterials developer UPM Biochemicals G.m.b.H. have developed a wood-based filler that say has the potential to replace carbon black as a key filler component in tires.

The material, called UPM BioMotion RFF, is a fully renewable wood-derived lignin-based alternative for carbon black that the companies say could reduce the use of fossil materials while lowering carbon emissions in tire making. UPM Biochemicals said it is a lighter, 100 percent renewable alternative to traditional CO₂-intensive fillers.

Nokian is using the material in a concept tire, dubbed Green Step Ligna, that will debut at the German rubber industry conference DKT 2024 in Nurnberg, Germany, July 1–4.

Tire makers use carbon black as a reinforcing filler in tires to enhance properties such as strength and resilience. Fillers make up about 30 percent of a tire's raw materials, Nokian Tyres said.

Pirelli & C. S.p.A. also is testing lignin-based fillers, albeit as yet not for road-going vehicle tires. The Italian tire maker revealed last year it was planning to use lignin-based materials in a line of bicycle tires.

UPM said that according to initial lab tests. UPM BioMotion RFF "has features superior to traditional carbon black."

UPM will supply the material to Nokian Tyres for prototyping, which includes testing the new material in production. The Nokia-based tire maker said it is evaluating the material's performance, safety and environmental impact compared to traditional carbon black.

Nokian Tyres said it is licensing its patent to UPM Biochemicals, enabling the German-based chemical company to provide the raw materials to the industry. The biomaterials developer will produce the material at its soon-to-be-ready biorefinery in Leuna, Germany.

The $1.5 million biorefinery will convert sustainably sourced, certified hardwood into next generation biochemicals, according to UPM Biochemicals, "enabling the vital shift away from fossil-based to renewable materials across a wide range of industries. "

Michael Duetsch, vice president biochemicals at UPM said that by "successfully demonstrating their application value, it helps us to lay the groundwork for scaling our biorefinery business so that we can make a significant contribution to the sustainable transformation of the mobility sector and beyond."

Teemu Soini, vice president, innovations and development at Nokian Tyres, said the concept tire "marks a leap towards the use of renewable materials not only for us, but the whole tire industry. By prototyping this renewable material in our tires, we aim to set new standards for environmental responsibility."

Soini said Nokian Tyres, which has targeted increasing recycled or renewable raw materials in tires to 50% by 2030, has used carbon black made from recycled materials since 2022.

"We see lignin as a promising renewable alternative to traditional carbon black, and in the future, we hope to see that lignin based renewable filler materials would find their way to tires as well complementing an increasing share of recycled content," Soini said.