Perpetuus Advanced Materials has introduced an amine functionalized graphene material as a potential replacement for 6PPD (6-para-phenylene-diamine) antioxidants in tires. Using plasma-functionalized graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs), Perpetuus claims the masterbatches can entirely replace 6PPD in rubber formulations, thereby preventing the formation of harmful 6PPDQ by-products.
The masterbatch covers over 90% of the dry-mix ingredients used in tire production, replacing several process oils and additives, improving workplace air quality while keeping mixing simple, said the UK company.
The "drop-in" solution delivers “the same anti-degradant function as 6PPD, but with zero toxic quinone by-products,” according to Perpetuus chief executive, John Buckland. “This isn’t theory: it works in formulation and scales now,” said Buckland, adding that "the only question left is whether regulators and manufacturers are ready to act.”
According to Perpetuus, its graphene-enhanced elastomer masterbatches can be shipped in “industrial quantities” as premixed sheets or blocks for direct integration.
Leaching of 6PPD from tire wear particles has been found to be harmful to certain species of salmon and trout in the US – via transformation by-product 6PPD-quinone (6PPDQ).
While 6PPD is most associated with tires, it is also found in a wide range of synthetic rubber products, including hoses, belts, seals, and anti-vibration mounts.
The new masterbatches work across all such systems “without compromising performance or durability, with price points that enable seamless adoption in commercial supply-chains,” Perpetuus further claimed.
