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Lucknow. Today, if we look at any vehicle running on the roads – be it a gleaming sports car, a heavy truck or an ordinary bicycle – then one thing is seen exactly the same in all of them, and that is the black color of the tyres. But do you know that in the early history of the automobile, the tires of vehicles were not black but completely white? Yes, the vintage cars running on the roads in the late 19th and early 20th centuries had white tires only. According to automobile experts and science, this journey of tires turning from white to black was not a change in fashion or appearance, rather there is a huge scientific reason behind it and a formula for the safety of vehicles.
Why were tires white in the beginning?
The real color of natural rubber is milky white. When the technology of making tires from rubber was initially developed, no additional colors or elements were added to it. To strengthen rubber, only zinc oxide (Zinc Oxide) was used, due to which the color of the tires appeared completely white or dull. However, these early white tires were not very durable. These would wear out quickly, develop cracks due to sunlight and would also get dirty very quickly while walking on the roads.
That historical change of 1917: Entry of ‘Carbon Black’
Scientists continuously conducted many researches to make tires durable and strong for a long time. In this context, around the year 1917, tire manufacturing companies made a revolutionary discovery. In mixing rubber for tire making ‘Carbon Black’ Started mixing a chemical substance called. Carbon black is basically a fine black powder produced by the burning of petroleum products. As soon as this carbon black was mixed in rubber, the color of the tires became completely black forever.
3 biggest benefits of adding carbon black to tires
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1. Durability of tires has increased manifold: According to scientists, while ordinary white rubber tires could hardly last for 8,000 to 10,000 kilometers, after getting carbon black, the lifespan of the tires increased to about 60,000 to 80,000 kilometers. It binds the rubber threads (polymers) together tightly, due to which the tires can easily withstand the friction of the roads.
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2. Protection from heat and UV rays: When vehicles move at high speed, the temperature of the tires increases due to the huge friction between the road and the tyre. Carbon black acts as an excellent ‘heat dispenser’, absorbing the heat from the tire and spreading it evenly. Additionally, it protects the rubber from rotting or hardening due to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.
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3. Better Road Grip and Safety: Road grip of black tires is stronger than that of white tyres. It prevents vehicles from overturning on turns and helps in stopping the vehicle immediately when brakes are applied, thereby significantly reducing the risk of accidents.
The era of White Wall Tires
Even after the introduction of black tyres, there was a new fashion trend of ‘white wall tyres’ between the 1930s and 1950s. In this, the main part of the tire was made of strong black rubber, but a strip of white rubber was placed on its outer edge (sidewalls). In that era, such vehicles were considered a symbol of wealth and status. However, due to the huge difficulty in maintenance and the changing design of modern cars, this fashion gradually ended and today only 100% black tires have become standard across the world.