Michelin takes a step towards oil-free tires

By bio-sourcing butadiene, an essential component of a tire previously derived from fossil raw material, Michelin makes a major breakthrough.

Today derived from oil, butadiene is a compound used by all manufacturers, including Michelin, for the manufacture of synthetic rubber used in tires. Worldwide, industries consume over 12 million tons annually, with approximately 40% used in tire production. The remaining 60% is primarily used in the production of varnishes, resins, plastics like ABS, nylon for applications in automotive, textiles, or construction. These applications represent additional potential markets for bio-sourced butadiene.

Michelin, IFPEN, and Axens have inaugurated the first industrial demonstration unit for bio-sourced butadiene production in France, at the Michelin site in Bassens, near Bordeaux. This demonstration unit was built as part of the BioButterfly project, bringing together the three partners, which aims to develop and commercialize a process for producing butadiene from ethanol extracted from biomass (plants), as a replacement for butadiene derived from fossil raw material.

The unit aims to produce between 20 and 30 tons per year, a scale that will allow rapid industrial transfer. Immediate replacement of fossil raw materials is not yet the goal, but this project legitimizes an industrial process, and ultimately, the construction of several factories worldwide to meet the growing demand for sustainable and bio-based finished products.

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