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Functionalized graphene tire tread rubber composites for lower sub-micron microplastic particle emissions
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Every time car tires roll on the road, they shed tiny plastic particles that pollute air and water, some small enough to breathe in. Scientists found that adding a special form of graphene to tire rubber can make tires wear down less and release fewer of these tiny particles into the air. This could mean cleaner air and less microplastic pollution from future tires.
Tire-wear particles are an important source of non-exhaust particulate emissions and environmental microplastics. This study investigated whether partially replacing carbon black with unfunctionalized graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) or carboxyl-functionalized graphene nanoplatelets (COOH-GNPs) could improve the abrasion resistance of natural-rubber tire-tread formulations while reducing airborne particle emissions. Abrasion resistance was evaluated according to ISO 4649, and particle-number concentrations within the nominal 0.02–1 µm detection range were measured using a TSI P-Trak 8525 during controlled drum abrasion. The formulations were further characterized using scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, Shore D hardness, and static water contact-angle measurements. COOH-GNP-2% and COOH-GNP-4%, in which 2% and 4% of the original carbon-black loading were replaced, reduced normalized abrasion mass loss by 43.94% and 31.05%, respectively, relative to the SRC2 control (p < 0.05). No unfunctionalized GNP formulation significantly outperformed SRC2 in abrasion resistance, although GNP-60% exhibited lower abrasion loss than several lower-loading GNP formulations. All graphene-containing formulations evaluated using the P-Trak produced significantly lower particle-number concentrations than SRC2 (p < 0.05), with the lowest responses observed for COOH-GNP-16%, GNP-40%, and GNP-60%. However, abrasion loss and particle-number concentration did not follow equivalent formulation rankings. Raman spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated formulation-dependent changes in carbonaceous structure and decomposition behaviour, while SEM revealed increasingly prominent platelet-like features at higher GNP loadings. Overall, COOH-GNP-2% provided the most favourable balance between reduced abrasion loss and lower airborne particle-number concentration. These findings demonstrate that bulk wear and airborne particle emissions must be evaluated as distinct performance criteria when developing graphene-modified tire-tread materials.
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Researchers evaluated microplastic generation from novel composite rubber tires incorporating graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs), motivated by growing concerns about tire-wear particles from heavier electric vehicles. The study assessed how GNP addition affects tire wear rates and the quantity and characteristics of microplastics released compared to conventional rubber formulations.
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Scientists showed that normal tire wear produces two distinct populations of plastic particles: smaller airborne nanoplastics that stay suspended in the air, and larger microplastics that settle to the ground. Nanoplastic emissions increase dramatically with vehicle speed and weight, and electric charge keeps the smallest particles floating in the air where they can be inhaled. This research identifies tire wear as a major and previously underappreciated source of breathable nanoplastic pollution.
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Every time car tires roll on the road, they shed tiny plastic and rubber particles that wash into our air, soil, and waterways, making tires one of the biggest sources of microplastic pollution around. This review pulls together existing research on where these particles end up, how they may affect wildlife and human health, and what steps (like better tire designs or road filters) could help cut down on this overlooked pollution source.
Contribution of Road Vehicle Tyre Wear to Microplastics and Ambient Air Pollution
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This review finds that tire wear from road vehicles contributes one-third to one-half of all microplastics released unintentionally into the environment, with passenger cars generating about 110 milligrams per kilometer driven. Most tire particles end up in soil, but a portion becomes airborne, contributing 5-30% of road transport particulate matter emissions. Since the smallest tire particles can be inhaled, this is a significant and often overlooked source of daily microplastic exposure for people living near roads.
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Researchers measured airborne tire and road wear particles (microplastics shed from vehicle tires) at a busy urban road, a highway, and a park, finding rubber particle concentrations were 2-5 times higher near traffic compared to the park, with levels closely tracking other traffic pollutants like black carbon.
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