Areas of Focus

Optimizing Tire Performance for Greater Fuel Efficiency

Auto and truck tires dissipate energy as the mechanical energy from their rotating and flexing is converted to heat. This energy dissipation manifests as rolling resistance, which impacts fuel economy. Reducing this rolling resistance while maintaining other critical tire performance attributes such as traction and treadwear is both important and challenging. Through our research in carbon black particle design, particle-rubber interaction and innovative process technology, we have developed award-winning E2C® products that provide reduced rolling resistance while also improving tread life. 

Reducing our Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions

Carbon black is a critical component of a large set of products essential to society, providing the functionality and performance we depend on, and the current carbon black production process is highly efficient. It utilizes raw materials that are waste streams from key industries such as refining and steel production and captures a majority of the carbon in these raw materials as carbon black; however, the production process also produces CO₂. We aim to reduce CO₂ impact by improving our process energy efficiency, raw material selection and utilization of by-product energy streams, and have been successful in driving to reduced GHG intensity in line with our 2025 Sustainability Goals. We also have a robust R&D program to develop and implement innovative process technology to reduce our CO₂ emissions in line with our net zero ambition. 

Improving Print Quality and Reliability through Ink Redispersability

In the quest for differentiation and stronger customer connections, consumer brands are seeking dynamic marketing strategies that offer personalized experiences with quick turnaround times. This is driving a shift towards on-demand, digital inkjet printing for product packaging, and with the increasing focus on product safety and sustainability, to aqueous inkjet printing. Packaging materials are manufactured and printed in industrial environments where reliability and up-time of the operation is critical. Our research has allowed us to design particles that deliver highly compatible and stable inks that dry quickly and can be easily redispersed. This exceptional redispersibility and printhead compatibility deliver the reliability that is needed, giving inkjet press manufacturers and operators the confidence to embrace aqueous inkjet printing.

Enhancing EV Range through Electrode Chemistry

Lithium-ion battery manufacturers are striving to improve the driving range of electric vehicles through higher energy density battery cells. Silicon-based anodes offer a promising route to this higher energy density; however, these anodes can exhibit limited life performance due to significant volumetric changes in the silicon particle during charging/discharging cycles. Our innovation in conductive additives maintains the electrical and mechanical integrity of silicon-based anodes during cycling. Incorporating small amounts of our unique carbon nanostructures (CNS) into anode compositions enables a reliable conductive network that improves cycling performance given the unique design of the CNS branched structure.

Supporting the Global Hydrogen Economy with Robust Fuel Cell Catalyst Supports

Fuel cells play an important role in the electrification of transportation, particularly for long haul transportation. Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells require platinum group metal catalysts supported on carbon black particles that are highly durable and corrosion-resistant, as well as produced economically at scale. Building on our strengths in carbon black particle engineering and production, we are collaborating with leading manufacturers of catalysts, assemblies and fuel cell stacks to revolutionize the production of carbon catalyst supports essential for medium and heavy-duty fuel cells, helping to enable a more sustainable and cost-effective manufacturing process.

Enabling Fine Denier Fibers with Consistent High Jetness

Apparel and textiles that use fine denier synthetic fibers provide desirable feel and aesthetic appeal, but achieving deep black colors consistently can be challenging. Traditionally, fine denier fiber coloring uses a bath dye process that results in poor color-fastness and negative environmental impact. By incorporating specialty carbons into the fibers during spinning, they maintain strong light fastness and minimal color migration, in a process with a low environmental footprint. To achieve this performance, the specialty carbons must be tailored to deliver both strong coloring performance and good spinnability. Our latest research in specialty carbons has focused on creating particles that achieve jet black color together with a rheology profile that provides reliable compounding and fiber spinning in a range of synthetic polymers.