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Torvec Discusses New Idea in Treads and Tires

20 December 2000

Increase Rubber's Traction on Ice - Torvec Discusses New Idea in Treads and Tires

    ROCHESTER, N.Y., Dec. 19 A scientific discovery recently
licensed by Torvec, Inc. increases the traction of
rubber on ice by a factor of twenty.  A new ice traction system based on this
technology could give vehicles such as Torvec's Fast Tracked Vehicle as much
traction on ice as if they were driving over dry pavement.
    Dartmouth College's world-renowned ice physicist, Dr. Victor Petrenko, is
turning this idea into an ice traction system for rubber treads and tires that
could prevent many winter driving accidents.  Vehicles could one day be
equipped with smart treads that grab ice.
    "Dr. Petrenko's system could give our Fast Tracked Vehicle maneuverability
and control in icy conditions.  Our FTV already navigates the roughest terrain
and goes places a four-by-four can't, so an ice traction system opens exciting
new markets," said Keith Gleasman, President of Torvec.
    Earlier this year BF Goodrich licensed the technology for airplane and
marine applications, especially for de-icing airplane wings.  Torvec recently
acquired the license for land-based applications such as windshields, rubber
tracks, tires, and truck tractor-trailers.
    Dr. Petrenko's research is conducted at Dartmouth's Thayer School of
Engineering and supported by grants from the Army and the National Science
Foundation.  He discovered that opposing electrical charges are the secret
glue that adheres ice to surfaces.
    On a molecular level, ice molecules tend to line up in the same direction,
so the ice is positively charged or negatively charged.  When, for example,
positively charged ice touches another surface it gives that surface a
negative charge and creates a strong bond.  In electricity and ice, opposite
charges attract.  This is what makes ice cubes stick to fingers, children's
tongues stick to frozen swing sets, and ice stick to windshields, windowpanes,
gutters, trees and most anything else it touches.
    In the inside-out world of ice crystal physics, adding ice to tire treads
actually increases traction.  The mechanics of the ice traction system are
relatively straightforward.  A mild electrical current through the tread
creates an electrical charge on its surface.  This charge has the opposite
polarity from the ice on the road and creates a thin coating of ice on the
tire.  Now the two oppositely charged ice surfaces can grip each other.  This
provides the traction necessary to steer and slow a vehicle over ice.
    Mr. Gleasman said, "We envision an ice traction system that engages and
disengages to adjust for different road surfaces.  On pavement the system is
off, but as soon as the tread hits ice, the traction system is activated.
Micro-thin electronic sensors and conductors could be embedded in the tread of
our FTV's rubber track, or in a tire.  Tire manufacturers are already
incorporating traction sensors and other micro-electronics into tire and
wheels, so this would not be an enormous change in the manufacturing process."
    Dartmouth has a policy of licensing its technology to one large company
and one small entrepreneurial company.  Torvec was founded by the same team
that invented and commercialized the Torsen differential, which improves the
handling of high-performance vehicles made by General Motors, Toyota, Audi,
Porsche, Hummer, Mazda and Volkswagen and in Formula 1 and Indy race cars.