Addressing the environmental impact of Electric Vehicle tyres: Levidian's graphene offers a sustainable solution
Addition of graphene to revolutionise the sector’s approach to water pollution caused by wear and tear
Call for manufacturers to join forces on research and development
Early-stage research by leading climate tech firm Levidian has shown promising results in the search for a solution to combating environmental issues associated with tyre wear in electric vehicles using high-quality graphene.
Produced using Levidian’s patented LOOP technology, graphene has been shown to positively impact degradation mechanisms and has also been proven to act as a crack propagation interrupter, mitigating flex fatigue, enhancing overall durability.
The potential impact of Levidian’s graphene extends to various components of the tyre, including sidewalls and tread compounds, offering a comprehensive solution to degradation challenges while also delivering improvements in rolling resistance and vehicle range.
The heavier weight and greater torque of EVs has been shown to accelerate tyre degradation, leading to increased rubber particulates that contaminate the environment. Furthermore, the widespread adoption of silica-filled compounds in tyre treads, aimed at improving abrasion properties, inadvertently exacerbates the issue by causing faster migration and leaching of toxic anti-ozonant additives, particularly 6PPD.
Levidian’s LOOP technology uses methane to produce clean hydrogen and net zero graphene - the thinnest, strongest and most versatile material ever discovered – and the company is now looking to collaborate with manufacturers in the industry on further research and development.
Ellie Galanis, Director of Commercial Development at Levidian said: "With global EV sales expected to hit 17 million by the end of 2024, concerns about increasing amounts of rubber particulates in the environment as a result of tyre degradation is a key issue for the sector to address.
“We believe our graphene could be the game-changer the tyre industry needs. Our preliminary research indicates that Levidian graphene could not only address the migration issue of existing and alternative, non-toxic anti-ozonants but also enhance mechanical performance without compromising on sustainability.
"Partnerships are essential to drive innovation so we invite tyre manufacturers and research institutions to collaborate with us in exploring the full potential of Levidian graphene."
The company has been working closely with independent materials innovation experts at Avon Protection to assess the impact of graphene in a tyre tread formulation, where positive findings have been obtained. Further work is now planned to look at applications in tyre sidewall and inner liner, as well as other rubber formulations.
For more information, please contact Ellie Galanis, at ellie.galanis@levidian.com.
About Avon Protection
For military and first responders, Avon Protection, part of the Avon Protection plc group, is the go-to for mission-critical protection that instils mission-critical confidence. As the most field-tested equipment in the industry, we have the real-world insight to innovate and stay steps ahead of ever-evolving threats.
Avon Protection's Materials Innovation experts, formerly known as ARTIS, are a vital part of our business. They lead materials development and characterisation in support of new product development, as well as identify and investigate material technologies that may be relevant to future product applications.
Beyond supporting our own product development, our experts also provide material development, characterisation and analysis services to external businesses from a broad range of industry sectors, helping them understand and improve material performance in real-life applications and manufacturing processes within our ISO 9001 accredited laboratory. This maintains close links with industry where cross-over technologies can be relevant to our own material development needs.