What if car tires could be made from renewable resources instead of petroleum? In this episode of the podcast, we interview Dr. Paul Dauenhauer, part of a research team from the Center for Sustainable Polymers who have developed a new chemical process to make isoprene (one of the key ingredients in car tires) from biomass such as grass or corn.
To listen to this episode, click here.
Want more podcast episodes? You can find them all on our podcast page, or you can subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher.
ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Related links:
- Dr. Dauenhauer’s lab page and Twitter
- Newsweek article – New Eco-Friendly, Renewable Tires Stretch the Boundaries of Rubber Production
- TV news videos – WCCO 4 and KARE 11
- WTIP Radio interview – U of MN researchers develop new technology to make car tires from trees & grasses
- University of Minnesota press release – Researchers invent process to produce renewable car tires from trees, grass
- ACS Catalysis article by Abdelrahman et al. – Renewable Isoprene by Sequential Hydrogenation of Itaconic Acid and Dehydra-Decyclization of 3-Methyl-Tetrahydrofuran
- Center for Sustainable Polymers
- Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology
Interviewee: Prof. Paul Dauenhauer
Producer/Host: Miriam Krause
Music: Ketsa
Sustainable Nano 