Do you know why tyres are black in colour?  

Have you ever accompanied your parents while visiting a car dealer to buy a new one? If you have, then you must have noticed that everything is discussed in that meeting, starting from mileage to servicing cost, accessories, the colour of the exterior as well as the interiors. However, tyres are rarely discussed. There have been remarkable innovations in automobile technology and even colours and materials of various crucial parts of a car. However, when it comes to tyres, the colour has been seen to be black, isn’t it? Well, let us tell you that they weren’t always black. Tyres were also available in white, some 125 years ago! Continue reading to learn how and why the tyres turned black! 

The rise and fall of white tyres  
There was a time when tyres were white! Yes, white tyres were used in cars manufactured 125 years ago. And this is because the rubber used to make tyres had a milky white colour. You may wonder why white tyres aren’t seen in old photographs or documentaries. This is because the original material was not strong enough to support the car’s weight and thus performed poorly on roads. Eventually, the production of white tyres was stopped. Soot was found to increase tyre durability, and it was this soot that gave tyres their black colour.  

The emergence of carbon black in the tyre industry! 
After the inevitable disappearance of white tyres from the market, new sturdy tyres were in demand. To improve the durability of tyres from the previous models, people experimented with different compounds. Out of all, carbon came out to be the winner.  

Carbon black revamped the tyre industry and is now an indispensable part of tyre production. It is a versatile compound. It provides both durability and stability to the tyre and also gives tyres their signature black colour. But who do you think thought of adding carbon to tyres? You will be surprised to know that Crayola, the company that makes your crayon and markers, was involved in this invention! Crayola supplied carbon to B.F.Goodrich, an American industrialist in the rubber industry and founder of BFGoodrich, the tyre company. He discovered the potential of carbon in tyres in 1904, thus forever changing the tyre industry! 

The black colour has much more to it! 
The carbon containing black tyres are not only more stable and durable than their white counterparts, but also recyclable! Carbon increases tyre life by reducing friction between the tyre and the road, in turn reducing heat generation. Black tyres are also protected from UV rays and the ozone layer, resulting in less wear and tear. This is how carbon ensures tyre quality!