Cabot & IFF collaborating to increased bio-based rubber content

Under a freshly signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Cabot Corporation will work with IFF Health and Biosciences, a leader in world-class bio-science and engineering, to develop and commercialise sustainable reinforcing additives for rubber products. The partners will exclusively work together to accelerate the advancement of solutions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase the amount of renewable bio-based content in rubber products.

These efforts will further the two companies’ efforts over the past year; they have been exploring the development of sustainable rubber reinforcing additives based on the use of IFF’s Nuvolve engineered polysaccharide. Created by the enzymatic polymerisation of European sugar beets, Cabot will use Nuvolve engineered polysaccharide as a rubber reinforcing material to be blended with its reinforcing carbons.

Under the terms of this new MOU, Cabot will lead the development and commercialisation of this product as a complementary material to its reinforcing carbons in rubber applications. Cabot states that it will be able to leverage the sustainability benefits this renewable raw material offers without compromising the finished product’s performance and safety characteristics.

MOU aligns with sustainability commitment

“As a leading producer of reinforcing carbons and performance rubber composites, enabling sustainability through innovation and collaboration is core to our work. We are committed to investing in technologies that advance the sustainability and performance of our products and their use,” says Dr Fred Rumpf, senior R&D director within Cabot’s Reinforcement Materials Segment. “We are proud to collaborate with IFF to test and develop renewable bio-based additives as a complement to reinforcing carbons in rubber products for applications, including tyres, belts, hoses, gaskets and automotive weatherstrips. This MOU aligns with our sustainability commitment and contributes to the transition to a lower carbon future.”

“We are thrilled to bring our enzymatic polymerisation technology to Cabot, which will provide new performance opportunities with a sustainable benefit in key markets where rubber reinforcing additives are used,” adds Christian Lenges, venture director, IFF. “We look forward to entering the development and commercialisation phase with Cabot, who will enable access to key markets for the new engineered polysaccharide materials and accelerate sustainable innovation for the future of rubber products.”

“This MOU demonstrates our commitment to invest in opportunities that respond to our customer demands for increasingly sustainable products,” states Bart Kalkstein, senior vice president of Cabot and president of the company’s Reinforcement Materials Segment. “We are excited about this partnership with IFF to develop new, high-performance reinforcement materials to help our customers with their sustainability objectives while also helping the planet by reducing emissions. Developing new, innovative materials and technologies are just one of the ways that we are helping in the transition to a future world with lower carbon emissions.”