Corn has been recognized as a potential raw material for the tire industry

In the pursuit of increasing the eco-friendliness of their tires, manufacturers are actively exploring new materials of natural origin. At the recent 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves in Hangzhou, China, the company Linglong announced that another potential source of raw materials could be corn cobs left in fields after harvest.

The congress featured a concept tire that consists of 79% eco-materials, including biologically derived rubber obtained using itaconic acid ether, whose production utilized recycled corn cobs. The company claims that this technology, fully developed in China, can accelerate the movement towards replacing petroleum products in the tire industry entirely.

The production of the concept tire also utilized recycled rice husks, scrap metal, and wastewater from paper production. Linglong emphasizes that the tire not only boasts eco-friendliness but also meets the "A" class rating for fuel efficiency, wet traction, and noise level according to the labeling system.

Currently, the company continues to develop eco-tires, including in collaboration with automakers, and plans to introduce new energy-efficient and low-carbon tires to the global market in the near future.

"The tire industry currently relies on fossil fuels, but its future is linked to vast agricultural and forestry resources, as well as a circular economy," Linglong says. "Eco-friendly tires are gradually moving from being a concept to becoming mainstream, contributing to the sustainable development of the transportation sector."

By 2028, Linglong aims to increase the proportion of eco-friendly materials in its tires to 85%, and to 100% by 2040. The company is exploring the potential use of materials such as dandelion rubber, techno-carbon derived from recycled old tires, and more.