Cutting Corners on Tires

Well…how else would you get them round enough to 🙄 ?

Here’s the story that provokes this post:

An Oregon State University researcher who developed a non-toxic adhesive for kitchen cabinetry says he has found a way to use wood fibers to make car tires better for the environment.

😯

Better for the environment, maybe, but will it be better for me the passenger or driver?!!

Oh. Pardon me for interrupting the story.

Microcrystalline cellulose — a product that can be made easily from almost any type of plant fibers — can partially replace silica as a reinforcing filler in the manufacture of rubber tires, says Kaichang Li, an associate professor of wood science and engineering in the OSU College of Forestry.

Li’s research suggests that using plant fibers can reduce the energy required to produce tires, lower costs, and produce tires that better resist heat buildup. That could be good news for Oregon’s timber industry, which needs new uses and products to sustain demand for the state’s timber harvest.

But how would wood-based tires perform? Early tests indicate they could have traction and strength comparable to conventional tires — and make cars more fuel efficient in hot weather.

Source: OSU researchers say wood fiber can make car tires more energy efficient, less expensive

When the rubber meets the road, will this get enough traction to get anywhere? Well, as the good old saying goes, “Knock on wood.” (If you want to drive on wood, that is.)