LANXESS has developed Vulkanox 4060, a new anti-aging agent for tire that replaces the conventional yet environmentally unfavorable 6PPD.

LANXESS’ Vulkanox 4060.

With the completion of EU REACH registration, Vulkanox 4060 is now also approved for use in the European market. Initial commercial production of Vulkanox 4060 is already planned for the fourth quarter of 2026.

Alternative to conventional 6PPD

The innovative additive with the chemical name CCPD (N,N'-Dicyclohexyl-p-phenylenediamine) was designed as an alternative to 6PPD – an anti-aging agent used in nearly all tires to protect them from damage caused by oxygen and ozone.

The degradation products of 6PPD, particularly 6PPD quinone, which has been linked to coho salmon die-offs in the U.S., have been the subject of criticism for some time. In environmental studies conducted to date, CCPD quinone, the corresponding transformation product of Vulkanox 4060, demonstrated no observed acute effects in coho salmon testing up to the solubility limit.

“Vulkanox 4060 is LANXESS’s response to a specific ecotoxicological and regulatory challenge the tire industry is facing. Extensive testing by LANXESS and our customers has shown that CCPD matches the technical performance of 6PPD – while offering a significantly improved environmental profile,” said Holger Graf, Head of the Functional Tire Additives Business Line at LANXESS.

Safe and sustainable by design

Vulkanox 4060 highlights LANXESS’ commitment to the “Safe and Sustainable by Design” principle.

The active ingredient CCPD was selected from the outset with the goal of improving the environmental profile, taking into account degradability, bioaccumulation, aquatic toxicity, and regulatory compliance.

The product is thus tailored to the growing demands of tire manufacturers, who must future-proof their supply chains in light of increasingly stringent environmental regulations.