Tires are among the most demanding components of any vehicle, required to withstand extreme heat, constant friction, and ever-increasing performance expectations, especially as electric mobility advances.
Behind every modern tire lies a sophisticated blend of chemistry, materials science, and innovation.
At Umicore Cobalt & Specialty Materials, decades of expertise across chemistry and metallurgy, play a crucial role in shaping the materials that enable high-performance tires and many other industrial applications.
Engineering performance at the molecular level
At the heart of tire manufacturing is synthetic rubber, a material engineered to deliver precise combinations of strength, flexibility, and durability. This rubber is produced through polymerization, a chemical process that links small molecules into long molecular chains.
“Polymerization may sound abstract, but it’s where performance really begins,” explains Stijn, Head of Commercial Department at Cobalt & Specialty Materials. “By controlling how these chains form, you directly influence how a tire grips the road, resists wear, and performs over time. To be able to define the properties of a tire is essential today from tire manufacturers to OEMs.”
To fine-tune this process, manufacturers rely on catalysts and additives that guide chemical reactions with precision to create exactly what they need. This is where Umicore’s expertise in organic metal chemistry becomes a differentiating factor.
Metal carboxylates: small compounds, big impact
Umicore develops and manufactures metal carboxylates. These are specialized metal-based products formed by reacting a metal with an organic acid. These compounds are designed to blend seamlessly into complex chemical environments, acting as catalysts that help polymer chains form more efficiently and consistently.
“Our metal carboxylates may represent a small fraction of the final formulation, but their impact is significant,” says Stijn. “They help manufacturers achieve the exact rubber properties needed for demanding applications. Beyond tires, these products are used to support faster drying of paints and coatings, improve the functionality of lubricants and greases or as catalyst for insulation material. This makes them indispensable across multiple industries”.
Meeting the demands of electric vehicles
One of Umicore’s standout innovations in tire technology is its neodymium-based catalyst, a high-performance chemistry built around the rare earth element neodymium. This catalyst is key to producing ultra-high-performance synthetic rubber, particularly suited for electric vehicles.
“The way electric vehicles drive creates a different type of stress on tires,” Stijn explains. “They’re heavier, accelerate faster, and are often driven differently, which means the rubber must be stronger, more wear-resistant, and more energy-efficient.”
Neodymium catalysts enable the production of rubber with improved grip, lower rolling resistance, and longer durability. This contributes not only to safer driving, but also to improved battery efficiency and vehicle range.
Innovation across the value chain
“We don’t innovate in isolation,” says Stijn. “By collaborating closely with our customers, we’re getting closer to designing catalysts for optimal polymer structures that replicate the best properties of natural rubber, while offering the consistency and performance of synthetic materials.”
From advanced cobalt powders for wear-resistant tools to high-purity cobalt and nickel compounds used across ceramics, batteries, and catalysts, Umicore’s deep materials knowledge links multiple industries together.
In the end, it’s our understanding of cobalt, nickel, and advanced chemistry that ties everything together. That’s how we create material solutions that meet today’s challenges and help shape the technologies of tomorrow.
