Before the conference, we caught up with Timothy Morley, Principal TS&D Scientist at Dow, to discuss the key themes of his upcoming presentation“SILASTIC™ SST 8860: A Next-Generation Self-Sealing Silicone for High-Volume Tire Manufacturing and Circularity.”
Q: Sustainability has become a major driver of innovation in the tire industry. From your perspective, what are the most significant material and technology trends shaping the next generation of sustainable tires?
Sustainability is now a core design requirement for the tire industry. The most important trends are lightweighting, circular design, and the use of recycled, renewable, or lower-carbon materials without compromising safety or durability.
For electric vehicles, lighter and more material-efficient tire systems can support energy efficiency and driving range. At the same time, technologies that enable repairability and end-of-life recycling are becoming increasingly important as industry moves toward a more circular model.
Q: Dow has been actively involved in advancing materials solutions for the tire value chain. How can material innovation help manufacturers achieve both sustainability targets and high tire performance, and where do you see the biggest opportunities today?
Material innovation helps tire manufacturers advance sustainability and performance at the same time. Advanced silicone-based self-sealing technologies, such as SILASTIC™ SST 8860, can support puncture protection, air retention, and stable performance while enabling lighter tire designs and more efficient manufacturing.
The biggest opportunity today is in solutions that combine safety, productivity, lightweighting, repairability, and recyclability across the full tire lifecycle.
Q: Circularity is becoming increasingly important across the tire lifecycle. What role do advanced materials and collaboration across the value chain play in enabling greater use of recycled, renewable, or lower-carbon materials in tire applications?
Advanced materials are essential to making circularity practical. Materials designed for easier separation, recovery, and recycling can help increase the use of recycled, renewable, or lower-carbon inputs in tire applications.
Collaboration is equally important. Material suppliers, tire manufacturers, OEMs, recyclers, and industry partners need to work together to validate technologies, build recycling pathways, and scale circular solutions across the value chain.
Q: At Sustainability in Tyres 2026, what key insights or practical takeaways do you hope delegates will gain from your presentation?
I hope delegates take away three key points.
First, sustainability and high tire performance can advance together. Second, practical material solutions are already available to support safer, lighter, and more recyclable tire designs. Third, the industry needs a lifecycle approach, from design and manufacturing to use and end-of-life recovery.
With SILASTIC™ SST 8860, Dow aims to show how materials science can help tire manufacturers move from sustainability ambition to practical implementation.
