Reinforcing Materials for More Fuel Efficient Tires 910169
Both the current legislative trend proposing to mandate more fuel efficient automobiles and responsible corporate environmentalism require suppliers to develop materials that will enable both vehicle and component manufacturers to engineer lighter and/or more fuel efficient systems for all vehicles. One such system is the tire, where the reinforcing materials for the elastomer can have a significant effect on tire weight and rolling resistance.
This paper reviews some of the materials now available for reinforcing tires and what impact these may have on the ability to design tires with potential to improve fuel efficiency. In particular, it discusses aramid yarns and nylon monofilaments for tire reinforcement and their effect on tire weight and rolling resistance. Additionally, the use of short fiber aramids for blending with elastomers to directly modify bulk physical properties and increase design freedom while maintaining critical properties is covered.
Citation: Shellenbarger, R., Henning, G., Keefe, R., Rusek, P. et al., "Reinforcing Materials for More Fuel Efficient Tires," SAE Technical Paper 910169, 1991, https://doi.org/10.4271/910169. Download Citation
