Leave it to a gaggle of brilliant wood science researchers at Oregon State University to figure out that we've been doing this whole "
tire" thing wrong for generations now. While studying some uses of microcrystalline cellulose, which can be made easily from practically any type of plant fiber, these Earth-loving gurus discovered that said material could actually
improve the efficiency of vehicle tires when used in place of silica. Granted, only about 12 percent of the silica -- which is used as a reinforcing filler in the manufacture of rubber tires -- was swapped out, but the resulting tires gripped just as well in wet weather while decreasing the rolling resistance during those dry summer months. Furthermore, tires constructed with these fibers could be made with less
energy, though long-term durability studies are still needed to prove that this whole plan is viable for more than a few thousand miles.
[Via
Gizmag]
posted Jul 26th 2009 12:41PM
I have to admit, my Alma Mater pride is beaming at the moment. It isn't too often Oregon State University makes it into national news, but this makes my day, even when I had to work 10 1/2 hours on a Sunday:)
OSU doesn't do enough bleeding edge research compared to other schools near silicon valley or east coast...
You're right, but they do have a kick ass open source lab.
Take them to the Brickyard. They can't be any worse than the tires last year.
it's true, I heard the University of Maine (Orono) developed blast resistant plywood for the US Military.
http://www2.umaine.edu/aewc/images/stories/product_content/br_comp_structures/brws.pdf.pdf
So, you're proposing that using trees rather than sand for automotive tires is a good idea?
It's not only a terrible idea, but also a blatant shill for timber capitalists, who have already ruined 97 percent of the nation's forests, and are desperate to get at the last 3.
OSU Forestry is a whorehouse for "the timber industry." If you go back a couple of years, you'll find a story where they cencsored and suppressed one of their own researchers' findings that clearing "salvage" trees was not a good idea, but another "industry" trick on the public.
You missed on this one.
Many university do forest research and the research is directly funded by the timber industry. The timber industry is the client. Why would they want research they paid for to hurt them.
I can point to two other forestry schools that have similar savage clearing studies that say its beneficial.
If would have bothered to actually read the article, it states "microcrystalline cellulose, which can be made easily from practically any type of plant fiber, ... could actually improve the efficiency of vehicle tires when used in place of silica." So they don't really have to cut down trees, could just as easily use grass.
Aaaron, if you don't think this is aimed at getting permission to cut more old growth trees, you don't understand what this program does. They are trying to position "the timber industry" as somehow being an answer to Peak Oil.
There's only one OSU. And it's in Ohio. :P
(im kidding...kind of.)
That would be tOSU.
Don't forget Oklahoma State University
For a second, I thought that was Evelyn Lin (NSFW if you google it) working at a Subway sandwitch shop.
wouldn't be they swap rubber for tree fibers?
Yep.
This kind of thing happens a lot around here.
Even worse, they're not even replacing the rubber.
Came here to post this, leave pleased.
Imitation troll imitates. Poorly.
now watch all the weight-weenie cyclists demand bike tyres made this way right now...
Why not? You don't wear out bicycle tires quite as quickly as you do car tires.
Go beavs!
Thanks for coming to the rescue Darren. Paul Miller has been drunk out of his mind this whole weekend.
Legalize hemp!
Wait wait... I'm not up on this whole hippy thing... now we WANT to cut down trees?
Paper bags and wood in tires is GOOD for the environment. Got it.
Hopefully firestone isn't the one who impliments this first..
I'm a student at OSU in science and engineering, and I'd just like to say that we have a lot of interesting research going on, from python clustering software to transparent circuits(kinda old news now) to this sort of development into materials research.
The reason I came to OSU in the first place is all the great development and research being done. I've been working at the OSU Open Source Lab(www.osuosl.org) for several years now, and think I'm doing the coolest things in the world. OSU used to hit Slashdot every few weeks/months back in 2005-2006.
Oh, and uh...Go Beavs!
wow
everything old is new again.
i guess that whole using goldenrod cellulose fibers in rubber manufacturing thing Firestone developed in conjunction with Thomas Edison never happened.......
I'm guessing they mean swapping rubber for tree fibres. Or swapping tree fibres to rubber.
go beavers!
"...which can be made easily from practically any type of plant fiber,..."
Apparently the people talking about using trees overlooked this.
I wonder how long they have to go before they figure out it's bad for the enviornment. I guess the treecutter donors need to make more money.
http://fiestamovement.com/agents/view/58
For a Second there I thought it was Oklahoma State, should have know; not a sports website. Maybe someday Cowboys.
Maybe a good thing but we can do better and take the train.
I work in the rubber industry, and the news here is that this could reduce the use of carbon black. Which is a very good.
See Wikipedia page. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_black
This doesn't replace rubber but it will be used as a filler, to add strength and increase amount of material in a batch.
I don't know if Hemp would be a good filler, but that would be some interesting "research"..
Rubber is like plastic, oil, and nuclear materials. I mean to say that we will be dependent on these things for the foreseeable future, but research into green manufacturing and responsible recycling will help to limit the effect on the environment and people.
Why is this on Engadget?
At least this is something different and interesting...
Dan Easton, perhaps you might read the piece before you guess. That would reduce you blatant foolishness.
The tree chemicals would replace the use of sand for silica in tires.
Meanwhile, this is the "timber industry" trying to brew up another reason for chopping down more trees. It simply is.
Cars are not going to make it out of this century, either.
Oregon State Forestry is a joke, a huge waste of public money, and a major center of ecocidal lies.
osu has done a few things right:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgarjJYY_eY&feature=channel