Recently, an ambitious scientific research project was launched in Germany to find and develop new biological raw materials for synthetic rubber. The NaMoKau project, led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymers (IAP) in Germany, has received US$3.25 million in funding and plans to achieve significant results over the next three years.
IAP's research team will work closely with multiple scientific institutions, including the Fraunhofer Institute for Materials and Systems Microstructures (IMWS), the Institute for Industrial Mathematics (ITWM), and the Institute for Environment, Security and Energy Technology (UMSIHT). This strong scientific alliance aims to improve the performance of synthetic rubbers, especially in terms of viscoelasticity, by developing sustainable biomonomers, with the ultimate goal of providing a new type of tire rubber for the automotive industry.
According to the Carbon Black Industry Network, the launch of this project is not only an innovation of the existing synthetic rubber production process, but also an active exploration of the sustainable development of the traditional rubber industry. By finding and applying biological raw materials, the project team hopes to effectively reduce dependence on limited natural resources while reducing the environmental impact during the production process. The successful implementation of the project is expected to promote the green transformation of the rubber industry and also bring new development opportunities to the tire manufacturing industry in Germany and the world.
