Anyone know the benefit(s) of using canola oil in winter tire compounds? When I asked about the differences between the new Nokian RSI (rain, snow, ice) and the ol' standard HakkaQ, the use of canola oil in the compound was among the 5-6 differences stated. Other than obvious "green" factors, what could be the benefit?
Nokian using canola oil in tire compounds?
- Thread starter mikep
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If you eat one your cholesterol levels will improve? I personally don't like vegetable oils, so I am hoping they invent a tire that uses butter.
Canola oil has been used for quite some time in the production of synthetic rubber. Here's what the manufacturer says:
ttp://www.nokiantyres.com/passengercars_product_en?product=610495&name=NOKIAN+HAKKAPELIITTA+4
Strength from canola oil
A significant part of the oil used in the tread blend is environmentally friendly Finnish canola oil, which improves the tyre’s grip in winter and wet conditions as well as its durability.
http://www.nokiantyres.com/release_en?id=631101
A NATURAL RECIPE: WINTER TREAD COMPOUND MADE WITH
CANOLA OIL
The Nokian Hakkapeliitta 4 has a unique tread
compound: it contains Finnish canola oil, which not only improves the tyre's cold weatherp roperties and enhances its tear resistance but also improves the tyre's environmental friendliness.
Nokian Tyres purchases canola oil as cold-pressed
crude oil and refines it for tread manufacturing. The new environmentally friendly canola oil-based tread rubber does not contain environmentally harmful HA-oils with PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons).
Pressed from seeds of the canola plant, which is a
member of the cabbage family, canola oil is a
biodegradable and renewable natural resource that is an environmental alternative to non-renewable
petroleum-based oils.
In its efforts to find more environmentally friendly materials, the R & D department at Nokian Tyres carefully researched and tested the properties and possible uses of canola oil. Tests and measurements showed that canola oil is particularly suitable for Nordic winter tyres as it improves both grip and tear resistance without any drawbacks on other properties.
Exact formulas for the new canola tread rubber
compounds as well as mixing procedures are business secrets. The new rubber compound used in the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 4 is tailor-made to achieve the optimum effect together with the new Nokian Hakkapeliitta 4 tread pattern and construction.
Much of the synthetic rubber is made from butadiene or substituted butadienes which has 4 carbons and 2 double bonds. It is the double bonds that polymerize in many places. Any single double bond can open up and react with 2 other molecules. More than one double bond can connect 2 chains together called cross linking.
Vegetable oils have glycerin with 3 hydroxyls each esterified with a fatty acid, mostly 18 carbon chain ones. Zero, 1, 2, and 3 double bonds are common. The oils vary mostly by the percentages, corn, soy, linseed, safflower, sunflower, canola, etc. are all similar varying mostly by percentages of the different acids. I think canola is rich in the 2 double bond acids giving most molecules of it 6 in all. Makes great paint.
In a rubber it would be highly cross liked adding to its strength. The long chain acids would also soften it. Rock hard rubber doesn't grip snow and ice very well. Too hard and it doesn't even grip dry concrete that well. So there may be more than hype, green, and subsidizing Finnish farmers to putting canola oil in a winter tire.
One more note. The more unsaturated the oil, the amount of double bonds, the lower its freezing point. The colder the climate the plant grows in, the more double bonds. North Dakota subsidizes its flax farmers by an out standing paint chemistry program its state university. Finland should produce highly unsaturated oils too.
Far better to have vegetable oils in your tires than your crankcase. OK, so I am a bit of a crank on that.
Vegetable oils have glycerin with 3 hydroxyls each esterified with a fatty acid, mostly 18 carbon chain ones. Zero, 1, 2, and 3 double bonds are common. The oils vary mostly by the percentages, corn, soy, linseed, safflower, sunflower, canola, etc. are all similar varying mostly by percentages of the different acids. I think canola is rich in the 2 double bond acids giving most molecules of it 6 in all. Makes great paint.
In a rubber it would be highly cross liked adding to its strength. The long chain acids would also soften it. Rock hard rubber doesn't grip snow and ice very well. Too hard and it doesn't even grip dry concrete that well. So there may be more than hype, green, and subsidizing Finnish farmers to putting canola oil in a winter tire.
One more note. The more unsaturated the oil, the amount of double bonds, the lower its freezing point. The colder the climate the plant grows in, the more double bonds. North Dakota subsidizes its flax farmers by an out standing paint chemistry program its state university. Finland should produce highly unsaturated oils too.
Far better to have vegetable oils in your tires than your crankcase. OK, so I am a bit of a crank on that.
Thanks for those great posts Mickey and Labman! Labman, that was expecially interesting.
For those who use tire dressings..especially dimethyl silicone based dressings, I wonder if the canola formulated tire compounds would react negatively, or at all, to those dressings? I've used nothing but water based tire dressings for a couple years now and as of late haven't even used them. I've just grown kind of tired of the look (even though I used a low gloss product)and also of having to "detail" a tire. I never "dressed" snow tires anyway but I'm sure there are people out there who do.
For those who use tire dressings..especially dimethyl silicone based dressings, I wonder if the canola formulated tire compounds would react negatively, or at all, to those dressings? I've used nothing but water based tire dressings for a couple years now and as of late haven't even used them. I've just grown kind of tired of the look (even though I used a low gloss product)and also of having to "detail" a tire. I never "dressed" snow tires anyway but I'm sure there are people out there who do.
Actually it's the Oilseed Rape plant.
And I just used Canola oil for cooking
!
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