Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC has developed a new innerliner for its medium truck tires that makes it more difficult for air molecules to escape the air chamber.
The innerliner uses a special mineral component in its compound. "Tiny particles of this additive are long and thin and using a special processing method, lie more or less parallel to each other," say BFNT officials.
"As a result, the additive forms a maze-like path that slows air passing through the innerliner as much as 30%."
The innerliner also will improve casing life and retreadability, they say. It's available on Bridgestone medium truck tires the R287, the R280, the M720 and others.