Dow Corning presents New Developments in Sulfidosilanes Used for Silica-Filled Compounds at the China Rubber Tire Manufacturing Technology Conference

At the China Rubber Tire Manufacturing Technology Conference, April 20-21, 2004, in Shanghai, Shawn Mealey, Application Engineering and Technical Service specialist for Dow Cornings Materials Treatment Business, presented New Developments in Sulfidosilanes Used for Silica-Filled Compounds.

Midland, MI April 22, 2004 - At the China Rubber Tire Manufacturing Technology Conference, April 20-21, 2004, in Shanghai, Shawn Mealey, Application Engineering and Technical Service specialist for Dow Cornings Materials Treatment Business, presented New Developments in Sulfidosilanes Used for Silica-Filled Compounds.

The silica/silane coupling system is used in rubber tire compounds to create silica-filled green tires tires with decreased rolling resistance and better fuel economy. Silica-filled tires also exhibit better wet braking and winter traction. To enable greater utilization of this high-value technology by tire manufacturers worldwide, Dow Corning has developed a new process that is helping improve the costs and environmental impact of sulfidosilane production.

Dow Cornings patented Phase Transfer Catalysis (PTC) process is less costly, uses less energy and is more environmentally friendly than comparable methods used by other sulfidosilane manufacturers. The process uses water instead of hazardous solvents and requires much less fuel, so CO2 emissions are greatly reduced. Plus, it makes more pure silane products available for the manufacture of silica-filled rubber compounds. By fine-tuning the process, Dow Corning is able to make sulfidosilanes with average sulfur chain lengths ranging from just over 2.0 to over 4.0.

Mealey says, Dow Cornings efforts to reduce the cost of sulfidosilane production will enable more tire manufacturers to use silica/silane technology to make energy-efficient, high-value tires. And the positive effect on the environment will extend across the entire supply chain.

For more information about the use of the silica/silane system in tire production, contact e-mail protected from spam bots.

For editorial assistance, contact Nancy Collins, AGP & Associates, Inc., +1 989 839 5800. E-mail: e-mail protected from spam bots.

Dow Corning (www.dowcorning.com) provides performance-enhancing solutions to meet the diverse needs of more than 25,000 customers worldwide. Offering more than 7,000 products and services, Dow Corning is a global leader in silicon-based materials. The company is equally owned by The Dow Chemical Company and Corning Incorporated. More than half of Dow Cornings sales are outside the United States.

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