Being a Silastic-line silicone, the self-sealing material cures at room temperature and eliminates the need for a spare tire, therefore assisting with vehicle lightweighting. And it is designed for end-of-life separation, keeping the tires in which it is used recyclable.
Gifford Shearer, marketing director at Dow, said this separation is a critical handprint benefit of the self-sealing silicone technology.
Competitive technologies, he said, pose challenges for tire recycling, as most use butyl rubber, which is chemically bonded to the tire.
Dow's Silastic SST-2650, Shearer said, is not chemically bonded to the tire but does not sacrifice performance in the process.
"We're working to reduce the carbon footprint of our own manufacturing for the silicone," Shearer said, while also "influencing our customers' processes.
"That's when we talk about design for sustainability," he said, noting that OEMs are looking for solutions to allow that material separation for tire recycling.
"In this case, we have a perfect solution that enables both the performance (and) that end-of-life separation, which then allows for the recycling," Shearer added.