Dr Geoff Fowler, Senior Research Fellow at Imperial College London, joins The Tyre Recycling Podcast for Episode 88, recorded at the Recovered Carbon Black Conference in Barcelona. Dr Fowler sits down with Ewan Scott to discuss his team’s ground-breaking research into improving the quality of rCB (Recovered Carbon Black) directly within the pyrolysis reactor. He outlines the limitations of current “Victorian” pyrolysis principles and explains how in-reactor chemistry can be used to discourage graphite formation, resulting in a product that more closely matches virgin carbon black.
Dr Fowler also details the use of specific solid additives—including a highly successful natural mineral—that act as both an abrasive and a catalyst for in-situ milling and thermal decomposition. Furthermore, the episode explores the future of circularity in tyre manufacturing, the challenges of replacing carbon black in tyre treads, and the potential for pyrolysis to recover essential rubber chemistry building blocks like isoprene units.
In-Situ Milling & Catalysts: Dr. Geoff Fowler on Enhancing Pyrolysis Reaction
Dr Geoff Fowler covers all this and more in Episode 88. So please join us as we learn all about the latest technical advancements in the pyrolysis sector.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction to Episode #88 with Dr Geoff Fowler
1:24 Why the Barcelona RCB Conference is a Fertile Environment for Research
1:42 The Evolution of Pyrolysis: Moving Beyond Victorian Principles
3:05 Using In-Reactor Chemistry to Modify Carbon Black Reactions
4:56 The Role of Solid Additives and Catalysts in In-Situ Milling
5:41 Comparing Mineral, Ceramic, and Glass Additives for rCB Improvement
7:45 Lateral Thinking: Turning Pyrolysis into a Truly Circular Process
8:58 The Challenges of Using rCB in High-Safety Tyre Tread Applications
10:39 Future Outlook: Focusing on TPO, Methane Cracking, and Rubber Recovery
12:18 Conclusion to Episode #88
