Polyurethane tires

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quote:

Originally posted by PandaBear:
Seems like they are trying to solve a problem that never existed.......

I have to assume you did not read the article in the link.
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Rubber tires' many inherent weaknesses—tread separation, dry rot and a complicated and time-consuming production process—all argue for the development of an alternative tire material.

Also, as far as chemistry and production, heres what was in the article:

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First, there's the material itself. Polyurethane is a fully reacted polymer in which every molecule bonds with another so it is chemically inert, which keeps it from oxidizing or leaching chemicals, theoretically extending tire life. With rubber, unbonded elements are left over from the vulcanization process that continue to react as the tire ages, leading to hardening, cracks and more frequent trips to the tire store. Then there is the cost of production. Making rubber tires is a complex undertaking requiring expensive equipment like banbury mixers, calendars, extruders and vulcanization presses, and because of the lengthy vulcanization process cycle times can be 30 to 40 minutes. Steinke says his proprietary manufacturing process eliminates all of that in favor of a simple spin-casting operation that can produce a new tire every three minutes.

And as far as performance, and not in a skateboard:
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But even cheap polyurethane tires won't sell if they don't perform as well as rubber. Prototype polyurethane tires of the distant past ran into not-so-niggling problems during real-world testing such as poor wet traction and melt down during braking. But Steinke says his formulation has gone head-to-head in track tests against top-of-the-line run flat rubber tires and met or exceeded their performance numbers. In fact, in the key metric of rolling resistance he claims his tire is 45% better than the competitive test tire, leading him to estimate that a car equipped with polyurethane tires could get up to 10% better fuel economy. According to Steinke, figures like those have drawn the attention of at least three unnamed automakers interested in the technology, one of which is already testing prototypes.

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Lee Iaccoca has signed on as an advisor

Just the fact that Lee is involved gives it validity, in my opinion. Obviously, There is still work to be done, or else these tires would be on the road already. Perhaps, not testing to the new standard is an obstacle. Should they just quit, and go home? No, keep at it. Maybe some day we will be putting on $9 dollar tires on our cars, while spending $5.00 a gallon for a gallon of gas.
 
One problem that is common in PU parts is their tendency to literally be eaten while in storage. Yes, eaten. There is a microbial organism that loves PU...

yes, I'm serious.

We use a lot of large PU parts and they tend to self-destruct over time when stored in warm, humid conditions. It can supposedly be mitigated with certain additives but these additives can change some of the very properties that make PU useful in some applications.
 
MAJA,
Looks like you should buy some of this stock as you appear to be a true believer. I think it would be great for the consumer and the company I work for, as they are one of the largest supplier of bulk chemicals in urethane and polyurethane business. I still remain dubious as to the ability of PU to perform under the types of load and temperatures that these tires could see under extreme driving and braking, but it would be great to see this actually come on line in the future.
 
quote:

Originally posted by kenw:
One problem that is common in PU parts is their tendency to literally be eaten while in storage. Yes, eaten. There is a microbial organism that loves PU...

yes, I'm serious.

We use a lot of large PU parts and they tend to self-destruct over time when stored in warm, humid conditions. It can supposedly be mitigated with certain additives but these additives can change some of the very properties that make PU useful in some applications.


I don't doubt that it is happening. There are bugs that will eat almost anything, including jet fuel. On the other hand, polyurethane is widely used in the automotive industry as a foam or elastomer. The seats, padding, bumpers, are mostly urethane. It is a big problem disposing what is left once you remove all the metal, glass, and recyclable plastic from old cars. Perhaps your company needs to culture the bacteria and go into the waste disposal business.

I will need to see some good numbers on wet traction as well as wear before I buy polyurethane tires. I think the idea has been around since the 60's. Maybe they have the problems solved now.
 
PU bushings have a nasty problem with squeeks. I wonder if PU tires would squeak where the tire meets the wheel?
 
quote:

Originally posted by Bamaro:
PU bushings have a nasty problem with squeeks. I wonder if PU tires would squeak where the tire meets the wheel?

Ditto!!!!
I have Energy Suspension greaseable bushings on the anti-sway bars and i know its time to regrease... they are loud and annoying.
 
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