Driving the Green Transition: Innovative Tyre Formulation Using Agricultural and Pyrolysed Tyres Waste

The rubber industry is facing increasing pressure to adopt sustainable practices due to environmental concerns associated with the use of non-renewable resources and the growing accumulation of waste tyres and agricultural byproducts. This study explores the potential of partially replacing conventional carbon black (CB) with sustainable alternatives derived from agricultural waste (wine by-products) and pyrolysed waste tyres in natural rubber/styrene-butadiene rubber (NR/SBR) composites for tyre applications. A series of NR/SBR composites were formulated with varying ratios of CB to agricultural waste and pyrolysed tyre waste, while maintaining consistent levels of other additives. The resulting composites were then subjected to a comprehensive suite of analyses, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), bound rubber content determination, Payne effect analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), and mechanical property testing. Furthermore, a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC) analysis were conducted to evaluate the environmental and economic viability of the proposed CB replacements. The results reveal that the incorporation of agricultural waste and pyrolysed tyre waste can significantly impact the curing behaviour, mechanical properties, and thermal stability of rubber composites. Importantly, some of the formulations demonstrate comparable tensile strength, elongation at break, and hardness compared to traditional CB-filled composites. The LCA and LCC analyses further highlight the potential for substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, fossil resource depletion, and overall production costs, thereby supporting the transition toward more sustainable tyre manufacturing practices.