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Inside the tyre: from raw material to finished product via the most advanced virtual experimentation and the search for sustainable products and processes

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Sustainable materials

Research is carried out at Pirelli laboratories to increase the use of innovative materials and raw materials from renewable and recycled sources. Renewable materials such as lignin, plasticisers and vegetable oils are used, in addition to natural rubber and silica from rice husk, while recycled materials include derivatives from end-of-life tyres, such as ground tyre rubber, regenerated tyre rubber, and carbon black from pyrolysis.

Zinc oxide (predispersed with a polymeric binder)

Lignin

Natural rubber after milling

Rubber accelerator (predispersed with a polymeric binder)

Rubber accelerator in powder form

Rice husk (precursor for producing silica)

Sheets of natural rubber

Rice husk (precursor for producing silica)

Oil-extended synthetic Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR)

Bromobutyl synthetic rubber (BIIR)

Recycled PET yarn

Powdered sulphur

Soybean oil

Oil-extended synthetic Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR)

Rubber powder from end-of-life tyres

Paraffin wax

Recycled rubber from end-of-life tyres

Silica from rice husk ash

Recycled rubber from end-of-life tyres

Bromobutyl synthetic rubber (BIIR)

Rubber compound from laboratory mixer

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Indoor experimentation

Innovation and care for the environment also mean testing prototypes in the Research & Development laboratories in Milan and in the various technological centres located around the world. This is all part of a constant commitment to improve safety, and to lower rolling resistance and optimise performance.

Pirelli R&D laboratories in Milano Bicocca, Photo: Carlo Furgeri Gilbert, 2021

Pirelli R&D laboratories in Milano Bicocca, cycle tyre test. Photo: Carlo Furgeri Gilbert, 2021

Pirelli R&D laboratories in Milano Bicocca. Photo: Carlo Furgeri Gilbert, 2021

Pirelli R&D laboratories in Milano Bicocca, indoor testing. Photo: Carlo Furgeri Gilbert, 2021

Pirelli R&D laboratories in Milano Bicocca. Photo: Carlo Furgeri Gilbert, 2021

Pirelli R&D laboratories in Milano Bicocca, semi-anechoic chamber. Photo: Carlo Furgeri Gilbert, 2021

Pirelli R&D laboratories in Milano Bicocca. Photo: Carlo Furgeri Gilbert, 2021

Pirelli R&D laboratories in Milano Bicocca, the chemical laboratories. Photo: Carlo Furgeri Gilbert, 2021

Pirelli R&D laboratories in Milano Bicocca. Photo: Carlo Furgeri Gilbert, 2021

Pirelli R&D laboratories in Milano Bicocca, the chemical laboratories. Photo: Carlo Furgeri Gilbert, 2021

Pirelli R&D laboratories in Milano Bicocca, Cyber Tyre. Photo: Carlo Furgeri Gilbert, 2021

Pirelli R&D laboratories in Milano Bicocca, the simulator. Photo: Carlo Furgeri Gilbert, 2021

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Shapes, patterns, movements and colours

Shapes, patterns, movements and colours. We go into the heart of Pirelli’s Research & Development laboratories to find out about the revolution in raw materials and prototype testing for the creation of increasingly safe, sustainable tyres. Powders that evoke distant galaxies and constellations, materials that become sculptures, virtual scenarios and sophisticated machinery, lasers and light impressions.

R&D Laboratories Pirelli a Milano Bicocca, foto Carlo Furgeri Gilbert, 2021