RockTron Releases Recycled Filler Research Results

Eco-mineral recycling technology firm RockTron revealed new research results at the recent Tire Technology EXPO in Cologne highlighting the possibility of reducing costs through the use of an eco-friendly, recycled filler. The company believes the results of this research, carried out by ARTIS on RockTron’s Advanced Products, will assist the tyre industry through showing that its 100 per cent recycled fillers can reduce CO2 emissions, cut costs and improve tyre performance – factors that will manufacturers’ margins and protect their bottom line.

RockTron’s Advanced Products director, Godfrey Short, presented these new results to exhibition attendees. The research shows equivalent air permeation results, when partially replacing carbon black with RockTron MinTron 7 in a bromobutyl passenger tyre liner formulation. These are initial results and, following further work, the true cost reduction potential will be realised.
 
The company’s Advanced Products include hollow and solid alumino-silicate microspheres (<1 to 300 micron) and solid paramagnetic microspheres, designed to replace conventional and man-made inorganic fillers / extenders such as talc, GCC, glass fibres, precipitated silica, carbon black and microspheres. These products can also be used as functional fillers in rubbers and plastics, to give improved physical properties including sound absorption, electrical conductivity and improved wear resistance for components and coatings. For example, RockTron’s products reduce vehicle weight and so improve fuel efficiency.
 
RockTron believes its fundamental advantage lies in the fact that its products are naturally spherical; beneficiation removes surface alkali salts to enhance performance. Other attributes include no VOCs, lower melt viscosity and lower density than many other inorganic fillers. RockTron’s glass microspheres (Mohs hardness scale = 5-6) ensure low oil absorption, reducing the amount of expensive resin required. Equally, they can be coated to change their surface chemistry for use in coatings, plastics, elastomers, thermoplastics, thermosets, electronics and others.
 
“RockTron’s revolutionary technology gives rubber and tyre manufacturers, compounders and end users what they have been looking for; namely a new range of 100 per cent recycled, high performance eco-minerals with an impressive commercial advantage,” said Short.

These latest results from ARTIS augment the important research undertaken last year, which showed that in a silica passenger tyre compound, RockTron’s Advanced Products demonstrated increased tan δ at 0ºC (predicts improved tyre wet grip) and reduced tan δ at 70ºC (predicts reduced tyre rolling resistance).