Air pollution It is one of the greatest diseases of modern cities. Vehicles with internal combustion engines are also part of the main culprit. In the most extreme cases, traffic and parking areas may need to be restricted. improve air quality. But if we could absorb the carbon dioxide emitted by cars, we might be able to solve this problem. This is the reasoning behind the tire developed by Goodyear and unveiled at the latest Geneva Motor Show.
We recently talked about bioinks and the rise of materials containing organic elements that enable the integration of multiple physical properties. Using these techniques, oil-degrading bacteria can be used to combat oil spills, and fungal spores can promote calcite precipitation to seal cracks when concrete structures are exposed to moisture. Inspired by a similar concept, the new Oxygene tire incorporates the following layers: Moss grows on the sides. The purpose of this technique is for the moss to absorb, in addition to turning the vehicle into a kind of wheeled garden. atmospheric carbon dioxide It releases oxygen instead. Moss grows with water from the road when it gets damp or rains.
Goodyear said in a presentation that in a city like Paris, where there are about 2.5 million cars, the new technology can release 3,000 tons of oxygen and absorb 4,000 tons. carbon dioxide every year. However, this is not the only environmental benefit of this tire. A prototype developed by the manufacturer uses a 3D-printed mesh made from rubber powder from recycled tires. And because the mesh doesn’t require pressurized air to work, tire blowouts are a thing of the past. Also, the outer pattern is designed to absorb water from the tread and improve wet grip. But the benefits don’t end there.
smart tires
The integrated moss not only releases oxygen and absorbs carbon dioxide, but also generates electricity through photosynthesis. This energy powers electronic devices embedded in the tire, such as computer processing units, sensors and customizable light strips on the tire sidewall. The strips change color to warn other vehicles that you are overtaking, changing lanes, braking, and other maneuvers.
Finally, these tires internet of things (IoT) with an optical communication system that can communicate with other vehicles (V2V) and nearby infrastructure (V2I).
Although this tire is a technically viable solution, it is still an early prototype. But they usher in a new era. Environment issues took precedence and tire yards became a distant memory. In the United States alone, 300 million tires are discarded each year and are very difficult to recycle. By betting on this technology, Goodyear joins the zero-waste circular economy trend, where resource consumption is greatly optimized. In fact, these tires are perfect for the increasingly efficient and affordable electric vehicles that are starting to hit the roads.
sauce: interesting engineering, habitat
