LANXESS at the Tire Technology Expo: New high-performance additives for the tire industry

LANXESS will present new high-performance additives for the tire industry at the Tire Technology Expo 2026 in Hannover. With these solutions, the specialty chemicals company is helping tire manufacturers to stabilize and improve the safety and material efficiency of their processes, reduce their ecological footprint, and enhance the efficiency of modern tires.

Sustainable alternative to 6PPD: Vulkanox 4060

Against the backdrop of stricter regulatory requirements for the antioxidant 6PPD – particularly in the US, but also within the framework of European legislation – LANXESS developed Vulkanox 4060 (N,N'-dicyclohexyl-1,4-phenylenediamine, CCPD) as an alternative with an optimized environmental profile. In tire compounds and finished tires, laboratory and application tests have demonstrated that the product provides comparable protection against oxidative aging.

LANXESS is preparing to register the product in accordance with the European REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) regulation for volumes exceeding 1,000 tons. Commercial production is scheduled to begin in the middle of the year.

Aflux SD – efficient processing agent for silica dispersion

Aflux SD is a processing agent for silica that improves the flow behavior of compounds and the dispersion of fillers, especially when used with functionalized polymers. This additive is made from sustainable raw materials, is free of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC), and significantly improves silica dispersion. Among other things, this reduces the Payne effect, i.e., the rolling resistance of tires, their wear resistance, and wet grip are improved.

Regulation as a driver of innovation

Talc is used in the rubber industry as both a release agent and a filler. However, regulatory pressure on talc is increasing. The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) recently reclassified talc as “probably carcinogenic to humans” (category 2A).

Due to this classification, talc will be listed prominently in the digital product passport, in accordance with upcoming Ecodesign for Sustainable Product Regulation (ESPR) requirements. Consequently, interest in talc-free products is growing within the industry. As a logical consequence, LANXESS now offers the entire Rhenogran and Rhenoslab portfolio talc-free.

Cohedur RA is a safe alternative to resorcinol in coupling agent systems for textiles or steel cord. It contains no resorcinol, disperses easily, and prevents the blooming effects that typically occur with resorcinol-containing products.

Solutions for the production process

Rhenodiv BO-3900 Pearls Cool is a mineral-free, cold-water-dispersible batch-off release agent that significantly reduces deposits on plant surfaces. Thanks to its pearl form, the product can be dosed reproducibly and processed completely dust-free. Additionally, Pearls Cool impresses with its sustainable, resource-saving formulation.

The filler-free interior spray solution Rhenodiv BP-338 ensures that the vulcanized tire can be cleanly and without defects removed from the bladder after vulcanization. Although the product is not chemically reactive, it achieves the release effect of reactive systems. It requires significantly less material consumption than conventional solutions, and unlike traditional reactive systems, it does not release hydrogen during processing.

Portfolio for tire production

LANXESS is one of the world’s leading providers of rubber additives and system solutions for the rubber processing industry. The product portfolio includes a wide range of additives specifically used in tire compounds. These include vulcanizing agents and rubber additives in pre-dispersed and other delivery forms, processing accelerators, anti-reversion agents, zinc oxide, antioxidants, and mastication agents. The range of release agents comprises granulated batch-off products, interior spray solutions for single and multiple mold release, and bladder coatings. Outside, finishing, and tire marking paints complete the portfolio.

Further information from LANXESS is available at the trade fair and online.