Rhodia Silcea launches Zeosil® Premium, a new generation of high surface-area silica offering lower resistance and greater performance

Lyon, France, 20 February 2008 – At the Tire Technology Expo trade fair in Cologne, Germany, Rhodia launched its Zeosil® Premium range – a new generation of high surface-area silicas for energy-saving tires – and confirmed its technological market leadership.

As the result of Rhodia’s expertise in the synthesis of precipitated silica and eight years of research and development, this technology enables further advances to be made in environmental gains, tire performance and manufacturing productivity.

The originality of the Zeosil® Premium technology is based on the association of a specific high surface-area and a new morphology, a unique combination of the silica aggregate and the element particles of which it is composed. This technology makes Zeosil® Premium a breakthrough product that is unique in the market.

The original structure of this silica enables very good dispersibility for such a high surface improving the mixing of silica into rubber and enhancing productivity for the manufacturer. In addition, it provides exceptional tread reinforcement for increased tire durability.

Furthermore, the new morphology associated with the high surface-area provides greater interaction with the polymer, giving a good balance of reinforcing properties and unrivalled viscoelasticity. The excellent overall level of properties in the silica-filled rubber mixture is a decisive factor in achieving improved road-holding and reduced tire rolling resistance.

Until now, Rhodia’s high performance silica has made it possible – without any reduction in tire wear performance – to improve road grip in wet conditions by 5-10% and reduce rolling resistance by 25%. This lowering of rolling resistance corresponds to a reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of approximately 5%. "Zeosil® Premium pushes back these limits even further and provides an additional reduction of almost 10% in rolling resistance, whilst improving road-holding and tire wear resistance", comments Philippe Cochet, Silica Business Development Manager of Rhodia Silcea.

At the launch of the Zeosil® Premium family, Rhodia offers a ‘200 MP’ grade, a micropearl silica with a specific surface of 200m2/g. Rhodia Silcea is working on other specific surfaces, which will further extend the performance of this new range.

Reduced environmental impact, improved road-holding, increased productivity level – with Zeosil® Premium, Rhodia Silcea, the inventor of high performance silica, again demonstrates its spirit of innovation by providing the tire industry with new a new tool for sustainable mobility.

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