Chinese authorities have audited and approved research by Linglong Tire into the “large-scale application” of graphene rubber composites in tires, according to Shandong Linglong Tire Co. Ltd.
The research was conducted jointly by Beijing Tiancheng Linglong Tire Co. Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Linglong Tire, and Beijing University of Chemical Technology. An audit was conducted by Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission along with other Chinese technology institutes.
Led by South China University of Technology professor Guo Baochun, the team completed trial production of graphene-enhanced tires at Linglong’s Zhaoyuan factory. This involved a graphene ‘pre-treatment’ technology that enables tires to be made without changing existing manufacturing processes or equipment. Linglong did note, however, that the technology required some adjustments to the process to help ensure the feasibility of production.
The graphene tires, Linglong said, showed promising results in several areas including fuel-efficiency, safety and anti-static, and energy-saving. More specifically, Linglong said a fuel-efficient grade of its graphene tire was close to a grade A rating under EU tire labeling regulations.
Read the full press release here.