Non-marking solid tires with graphene nanotubes: high mechanical strength and conductivity in compliance with international standards

Research at a glance

New safety regulations related to electrostatic protection are being developed to keep pace with the increasing automation of industrial facilities and the growing automotive industry. Single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were studied as a prospective additive to improve electrical conductive properties of rubber compounds used for non-marking anti-static solid tires. A ready-to-use masterbatch containing primary SWCNTs dispersed in a polymer-based carrier was used. The study was conducted with a standard non-marking solid tire NR/BR-based formulation filled with mineral filler by introducing the SWCNT-based masterbatch at different stages in the production sequence to see which would achieve the best performance. Another anti-static additive widely used in industrial applications was used as a reference to define the performance differences. The main finding of the study is that 0.22 wt.% of SWCNTs in a rubber compound can maintain tensile properties before and after heat aging, improve tear resistance, and provide electrical onductivity at the required anti-static level, without a negative influence on other properties, while also retaining the color and the non-marking effect.