CATEGORY - RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

ERJ readers are invited to identify, and comment on, entries they believe to be of particular significance for the industry. Your emailed feedback will guide our selection of the winners in each category, to be published in ERJ Sept/Oct 2024 issue.

Fraunhofer

NaMoKau project for development of bio-based raw materials and new types of rubber

This April saw the launch of an ambitious three-year project led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP to develop alternative, bio-based raw material sources for synthetic rubber. The research team from four Fraunhofer Institutes aims to come up with “completely new types” of rubber for car tires, under the project titled “Sustainable biomonomers for synthetic rubbers with application-related adjustable viscoelastic properties (NaMoKau).” A particular focus is on producing the rubber monomers butadiene, isoprene and dimethylbutadiene from bio-based alcohols.

Fraunhofer release

Hankook

Using AI to accelerate tire development

Hankook has partnered with US cloud and software specialists Amazon Web Services and Snowflake to develop an AI platform for tire technology. The project is already delivering on its goals: creaeing an integrated AI-based data analysis infrastructure that improves tire performance and quality, said an update from the South Korean manufacturing group.

Hankook release... /  Project update...

Sumitomo Rubber Industries

Synchrotron radiation measurement technology

Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) has developed a ‘synchrotron radiation’ technology that can measure the motion of atoms, molecules, and nanostructures across a wide range of time domains.  With the newly developed technology, it is possible to measure motions from 0.1 nanoseconds to 100 nanoseconds – as well as over a much wider time-range when combined with conventional techniques. Through the research, SRI expects to advance the development of tires with high strength and excellent wear resistance.

Sumitomo Rubber release... / 

Trelleborg (with Airbus)

Sealing for hydrogen-powered aircraft

Trelleborg Sealing Solutions is working in partnership with Airbus to develop sealing technologies for hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft by 2035. The Swedish rubber parts maker is developing safe and reliable seals for the hydrogen propulsion systems of the ZEROe concept aircraft, enabling Airbus to explore a variety of configurations and hydrogen technologies. For the programme, a high-pressure cryogenic test rig has already been designed and  built at aTrelleborg Sealing Solutions centre in Bridgwater, UK.

Trelleborg release... /