Eshwaran Subramani

Eshwaran Subramani is a seasoned senior technical service engineer with extensive expertise in polymer engineering and tire technology. He holds a bachelor’s degree in polymer engineering, a master’s in rubber technology from IIT Kharagpur, and a PhD in rubber technology from IPF Dresden. After three years of academic research at the Technical University of Dresden, Subramani joined Asahi Kasei in 2019, where he contributed significantly to R&D, identifying emerging trends in the tire industry. Since 2021, he has overseen technical services for Asahi Kasei across European, US and Indian markets, driving innovation and sustainability.

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Presentation

Functionalized Li-BR in modern tire recipes: A Game-Changer for low Rolling Resistance tires

The demand for functionalized Li-BR has surged over the last decade due to its effectiveness in achieving low rolling resistance (RR) in tires. This study highlights the performance enhancements that functionalized Li-BR can provide, when paired with functionalized SSBR. Remarkably, even when combined with non-functionalized SSBR, Li-BR demonstrates significant improvements in tire performance compared to conventional high-cis-BR. Additionally, Li-BR promotes easier silica intake, higher silica incorporation, and improved mixing efficiency, making it ideal for high-silica recipes. Effective silica dispersion, essential for winter tire traction and stiffness, is greatly supported by Li-BR, underscoring its importance in modern tire formulations.