Is it possible to drive on greener, more resistant truck tyres that consume less fuel? In this edition of Futuris we go on a voyage of discovery into the science of the tyres of the future.<br /><br />Researchers at an EU research project are working here to develop a new generation of truck tyres designed to reduce fuel consumption, be longer-lasting and increase safety. <br /><br />“We’re working with new materials and new design tread patterns,” says project coordinator Benoît Duez. “Our approach to a better understanding of the physical behaviour of tyres is also innovative, so we can guarantee a better rolling resistance. We’re studying, for instance, the strain on materials inside the tyres”. <br /><br />At laboratories in Luxembourg, researchers are using new recipes to cook up innovative tyres. <br /><br />The usual ingredients of natural rubber and sulphur, are enriched with new mixtures of ‘carbon blacks’, or newly developed carbon nano-tubes, as Tom Linster, a biochemical engineer, at the Goodyear Innovation Cen
