The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company is partnering with Visolis, a sustainable technology company, to produce isoprene from biobased materials through upcycling. This collaboration has received support from a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant awarded to Visolis. Isoprene is a crucial precursor for certain types of synthetic rubber and is traditionally obtained as a by-product from crude oil refining. It is then polymerized into long chains using a catalyst to create polyisoprene, which serves as a raw material for manufacturing tires and other products.
Visolis and Goodyear will utilise Visolis’ technology to generate high-quality isoprene from lignocellulosic feedstocks. Visolis has already conducted an initial analysis of the carbon footprint reduction potential of its process and will continue to evaluate further reductions as part of their collaborative project with Goodyear.
As reported by Green Car Congress, Visolis’ technology combines synthetic biology and traditional chemical catalysis to produce a range of bio-based chemicals. Goodyear is actively seeking sustainable material alternatives that not only meet the company’s stringent standards for quality and safety but also deliver strong product performance. In collaboration with its supply base, Goodyear aims to introduce a tire made from up to 70% sustainable materials this year.
