QUALITY PERFORMS.

Urethane Prepolymers for demanding Tire and

Wheel applications.
WE MAKE IT EASY
TO MAKE THINGS TOUGH

LANXESS Urethane Systems is a world leader in hot cast The tire and wheel industry requires high performance
prepolymers. Our specialized polyurethane systems know- materials due to stringent demands on the final application.
how, global production capability, decades of technical LANXESS has decades of experience in this market sector
experience and application expertise enable us to provide with strong technical competence including material
solutions tailored to meet our customers’ needs. characterization, wheel design expertise, analytical testing
and application performance testing.

Key Applications

LANXESS deliver solutions to diverse tire and wheel

markets, including recreational wheels, industrial press-on
wheels and off road tires.

Through a constant focus on materials innovation and

design expertise, we partner with manufacturers, OEMs and
end-users to deliver innovative solutions to meet challenging
application needs.

Recreational
Amusement park wheels
Leisure equipment wheels

Industrial
Elevator wheels
Forklift wheels
Industrial truck caster wheels

Agriculture
All-terrain vehicles (ATV) wheels
Utility vehicles (UTV) wheels
Lawn mower wheels

Off Road
Mining, construction, military tires

2 Adiprene® & Vibrathane® Urethane Prepolymers for demanding Tire and Wheel applications.
 Reliable, High Performance Products
Adiprene® and Vibrathane® urethane prepolymers are known
industry-wide for their high quality and performance on the job,
delivering outstanding abrasion resistance, toughness and
load-bearing capability. LANXESS Urethane Systems is on the
leading edge of urethane technology, expanding performance,
and extending part life in demanding mechanical applications
and in harsh chemical and thermal environments.
LANXESS offers a wide range of conventional, Low Free
(LF) isocyanate, and blocked technologies that enable high
performance and processing ease, which makes Adiprene®
and Vibrathane® urethane systems an excellent choice to
Leading R&D and Applications development replace steel, plastics, rubber, and other elastomers in high
Capability performance applications. Our deep know-how in blocked
LANXESS has extensive technical and analytical knowledge, systems and curing options enables processing in both
with special testing and modeling capabilities for specific tire factory and field settings.
and wheel applications.
Finite element analysis (FEA)
CAD modeling software
Closed solution calculations
Solid tire failure model (wheel model)
Dyno testing
Physical testing capability
DMA
Fatigue resistance analysis

RECREATIONAL SEGMENT

Amusement Park Wheels

Wheels utilized within amusement park applications normally

require polyurethane elastomers with exceptional dynamic
performance.

Key Requirements
Strong bonding
Hysteresis resistance
Fatigue resistance
Wear resistance
Our technical experts can evaluate your high dynamic wheel
application and help you choose the best material for your
application.

Adiprene® & Vibrathane® Urethane Prepolymers for demanding Tire and Wheel applications. 3
INDUSTRIAL SEGMENT

Elevator Wheels Caster Wheels

Key Requirements Key Requirements

Wear resistance Wear resistance
Load capability Cost versus performance balance
Easy processing Cut and tear resistance
LANXESS offers prepolymers with exceptional wear Using our proprietary wheel model we can evaluate materials
resistance that provides extended part lifetime. and applications to optimize design, material, and wheel
capabilities.
Our high quality production standards provide consistency
during processing for reliable elastomers. Our technical experts can help you select the best material
for your applications.

Forklift Wheels

Key Requirements For heavy loads, long runs and fast speeds, aggressive high
cut and tear applications, our technical experts can evaluate
Fatigue resistance
your end use application with our proprietary wheel model
Hysteresis resistance
which uses DMTA, fatigue and contact pressure data to
Wear resistance
predict performance and lifetime of a wheel.
Flat spot resistance
Cut and tear resistance With a large portfolio of best in class dynamic, fatigue,
abrasion resistance, and cut and tear resistant materials,
LANXESS has the tools to help you succeed.

4 Adiprene® & Vibrathane® Urethane Prepolymers for demanding Tire and Wheel applications.
AGRICULTURAL SEGMENT

ATV, UTV, ZTR Lawn Mowers, Sprayer Tires and Wheels

Solid polyurethane wheels can be used to replace rubber

tires in some agricultural applications.

Key Requirements
Differentiated wheel design
Fatigue resistance
Wear resistance
High load and speed capability
Cost versus performance
Cut and tear resistance
We can support your innovation with a large range of
materials providing a good balance between cost and
performance versus rubber material.
When improved performance is needed, LANXESS has a
wide portfolio to take your products to the next level.
Our experts can help you choose the best materials using
tools such as DMTA, fatigue testing, cut and tear testing, and
abrasion testing.

OFFROAD SEGMENT

Mining, Construction, Military Tires

Solid polyurethane wheels can be used to replace rubber

tires in offroad applications.

Key Requirements
Wheel design support (replacing rubber)
Wear resistance
Cost versus performance
Hysteresis resistance
Ride comfort
Puncture resistance
We can support your innovation with a large range of
materials providing a good balance between cost and
performance versus rubber material.

Adiprene® & Vibrathane® Urethane Prepolymers for demanding Tire and Wheel applications. 5
INNOVATION ACTIVITIES
STRUCTURED WHEEL TO REPLACE THE RUBBER TIRE

Innovation based on LANXESS’s proprietary “X”-structure Our experts at LANXESS have design and finite element
urethane tire. analysis (FEA) capabilities which can help take your
engineering team and end products to the next level.
Structured wheel combines all the benefits of solid
pneumatic tires with the higher abrasion resistance of We combine chemistry know-how with mechanical
polyurethanes and the increased cushioning of pneumatic expertise and understand how to translate that knowledge
tires to deliver longer lifetime and increased ride comfort into end use performance.
for harsh environment operations.

Load vs. Deflection Tangent Stiffness vs. Deflection

Load vs. Deflection Tangent Stiffness vs. Deflection

Load vs. Deflection

Tangent Stiffness
Tangent Stiffnes
Load
Load

Rubber Solid Pneumatic Tire 700x12 Rubber Solid Pneumatic T

Polyurethane X-Tire 700x12 Polyurethane X-Tire 700x1

Deflection Deflection (in)

Deflection Deflection (in)

RubberSolid
Rubber SolidPneumatic
Pneumatic Tire
Tire 700x12
700x12 RubberSolid
Rubber SolidPneumatic
Pneumatic Tire
Tire 700x12
700x12
PolyurethaneX-Tire
Polyurethane X-Tire700x12
700x12 PolyurethaneX-Tire
Polyurethane X-Tire700x12
700x12

6 Adiprene® & Vibrathane® Urethane Prepolymers for demanding Tire and Wheel applications.
 We support your innovation and help you to be successful through our application expertise

Raw Materials Processing

Our most important priority is to support your innovation We offer strong technical support that can help you solve
and help you to be successful. With decades of urethane any issue regarding the production of wheels and tires.
chemistry and formulation expertise, we understand the
synergy between the part design and the physical properties Formulation
of urethane needed to achieve optimal performance.
Our deep expertise in prepolymer formulation enables
Our broad materials toolbox includes: us to custom design a prepolymer system using the
Isocyanates: TDI, MDI, pPDI, HDI, IPDI, H12MDI best combination of raw materials to meet your specific
application needs, and we offer part and tool design and
Low monomer isocyanates: LF TDI, LF MDI, LF HDI,
processing guidance to help you make flawless parts.
LF pPDI, LF IPDI
Polyols: polyester, PTMEG, PPG, PCL, PC
Wheel Design
Curatives: diamines, diols, triols, and specialty
We have developed a proprietary model for wheel design
formulated curatives
that provides you wheel design and part life guidance
Additives: catalysts, antioxidants, plasticizers, flame
considering wheel dimensions, application requirements,
retardants, fillers
environmental conditions, and the inherent flex life and
heat build-up properties of the urethane material. This
engineering support creates value for both our customers
and their end users.

Adiprene® & Vibrathane® Urethane Prepolymers for demanding Tire and Wheel applications. 7
LANXESS Deutschland GmbH
Business Unit Urethane Systems This information and our technical advice – whether verbal, in writing or by way of trials – is subject to change
without notice and given in good faith but without warranty or guarantee, express or implied, and this also applies
Kennedyplatz 1 where proprietary rights of third parties are involved. Our advice does not release you from the obligation to verify the
50569 Koln information currently provided - especially that contained in our safety data and technical information sheets - and to
test our products as to their suitability for the intended processes and uses. The application, use and processing of
Germany our products and the products manufactured by you on the basis of our technical advice are beyond our control and,
therefore, entirely your own responsibility. Our products are sold in accordance with the current version of our General
Tel: +44 161 875 3568 Conditions of Sale and Delivery. Edition 04/2018

©2017 LANXESS. Adiprene, Vibrathane, LANXESS and the LANXESS Logo are trademarks of LANXESS Deutschland
ure.lanxess.com GmbH or its affiliates. All trademarks are registered in many countries in the world.