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Why are elastomers important in automobile tires?

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Know how researchers created a synthetic material, elastomers, that can change color and texture to specific voltage change, like that of cephalopods — elastomer Learn about elastomers that are changeable in colour and texture, much like the skin of octopuses and other cephalopods. In the elastomers, these changes take place under electrical stimulation.

Elastomers are essential to automobile tires primarily due to their unique molecular structure, which allows them to be stretched to great lengths and spontaneously recover their original shape. This elasticity, combined with resilience and toughness, makes them the fundamental constituent of tires.12

Different types of elastomers are utilized in specific parts of a tire to optimize performance:

Tire Treads: Compounds such as styrene-butadiene rubber and butadiene rubber are used for their hardness and abrasion resistance, which are critical for road contact.3
Sidewalls: These often incorporate natural rubber for its resistance to heat buildup, alongside butadiene rubber for abrasion resistance.3
Tire Liners: Butyl rubber is typically used here because of its low gas permeability, which helps minimize air loss.3

The longevity of these materials is further enhanced by the process of vulcanization—the interlinking of rubber molecules to create a durable elastic solid—and the addition of reinforcing agents like carbon black or silica.3