Ekoprena being showcased at Tire Tech Expo

Now UL/Malaysia’s sustainable raw material for more fuel efficient tyres is in commercial production, Ekoprena is being showcased at this week’s Tire Tech Expo.

Ekoprena representatives report that they will be explaining why this material is “the only way for tyre manufacturers to be at the forefront of green innovation and to claim ownership of the most ecologically sound tyres.”

Key claims include that Ekoprena is the vital ingredient of any tyres that aim to be fuel efficient, high performing in the wet and ice and truly ecologically sustainable. It is a raw material able to respond to regulations and consumer demand for greener tyres. Ekoprena is more than carbon neutral – it has a negative carbon footprint.

Ekoprena is an epoxidised natural rubber (ENR) developed by scientists at the Tun Abdul Razak Research Centre (TARRC), the UK laboratory of the Malaysian Rubber Board.

Two grades of Ekoprena are now produced commercially in Malaysia by Felda Rubber Industries Sdn Bhd (FRISB): Ekoprena 25 and Ekoprena 50. These two grades cover the range of properties desirable for most of the applications for ENR with Ekoprena 25 used in tyre applications.

Papers will also be presented on Ekoprena during the Wednesday (12 February) morning conference Session 4 titled ‘The science of polymer and reinforcement interaction and property prediction’.