Dr. Antti Laukkanen on Nemus and the Future of Bio-Based Tire Materials
In March 2026, at Tire Technology Expo 2026, Black Donuts introduced Nemus, a bio-based premix material developed for tire manufacturing, which was presented publicly for the first time.
The material was introduced by Dr. Antti Laukkanen, CTO of the Nemus business unit, together with Ilkka Lehtoranta. Their presentation focused on replacing carbon black and other fossil-based components with microfibrillated cellulose, demonstrating technical performance across various tire applications and outlining what this could mean going forward.
What Is Microfibrillated Cellulose (MFC)?
Why New Materials Are Needed
During the event, a number of familiar challenges across the tire industry came up again. According to Dr. Antti Laukkanen:
- Tire production operates at very large volumes
- Material performance requirements are extremely high
- Production processes have remained largely unchanged for decades
- Raw material costs are under pressure
- Regulation is tightening, accelerating the shift away from fossil-based materials
Taken together, this creates a clear constraint: new materials must work within existing industrial systems.
As Laukkanen pointed out, these pressures are not unique to tires. They reflect a broader shift happening across multiple industrial sectors.
What Are Bio-Based Tire Materials?
Bio-based tire materials are often discussed in terms of sustainability, but that is only part of the picture. In practice, they are renewable materials designed to replace or reduce fossil-based components while still meeting performance, scalability, and process requirements.
Over the past few years, these materials have moved from research into serious industrial consideration. Still, adoption depends on more than good intent. Materials need to meet strict technical and economic criteria at the same time.
This is where most solutions struggle. It is not enough to be sustainable. Materials must work in real production environments, with existing equipment, at industrial scale, and at a cost that makes sense. Many solutions perform well in one or two areas but fall short when everything is considered together. That gap remains one of the main bottlenecks in material development for tire manufacturing.
The Nemus Approach
Nemus is designed with this reality in mind. It is based on a premix technology combining natural rubber and microfibrillated cellulose, created through wet compounding.
The idea is not to introduce a material that requires changes to production, but one that can be used within current processes. The goal is to match or exceed existing performance while remaining scalable, cost-efficient, and compatible with how tires are actually made.
Not an easy equation, Laukkanen notes, but we strongly believe it is achievable through the power of natural nanotechnology.
What Is a Drop-In Material in Tire Manufacturing?
In tire manufacturing, the concept of a drop-in material is critical. Production systems are complex and have been optimized over decades. Even small changes can affect throughput, quality, or scrap rates.
A drop-in solution avoids this by fitting into existing processes without requiring changes to machinery, factory layout, or operating procedures. This reduces risk and makes it easier for manufacturers to evaluate new materials under real conditions.
It also changes how innovation moves forward. Instead of redesigning factories around new materials, materials are developed to fit into existing factories. This shortens the path from development to production and lowers the barrier to adoption.
Natural Nanotechnology
Interest in natural nanotechnology is growing, particularly in cellulose-based reinforcement systems. These materials offer renewable sourcing and clear performance potential, but only when they are engineered to work within existing compounds and processes.
The core challenge remains the same: performance, scale, cost efficiency, and compatibility all need to come together.
A Key Takeaway from Tire Technology Expo 2026
A genuine collaboration across the value chain is essential if this traditionally conservative industry is to adopt new material solutions.
The tire industry requires coordinated efforts between material developers, tire manufacturers, R&D teams, and industrial partners. Progress depends on shared validation, testing, and real-world implementation.
I am convinced that the Nemus material is a strong example of the kind of innovation that can enable this transition. There is much more to come for natural nanotechnology in the tire industry, says Dr. Antti Laukkanen, CTO of the Nemus business unit at Black Donuts.
What is becoming clear is that the discussion is shifting. The question is no longer whether sustainable materials can be developed. It is whether they can work inside real factories, without disruption.
FAQ: Bio-Based Tire Materials
What are bio-based tire materials?
Bio-based tire materials are renewable materials used to replace fossil-based components while maintaining performance and scalability.
Can bio-based materials be used in existing tire production?
Yes. When designed as drop-in solutions, they can be integrated without modifying machinery or factory layouts.
What is the biggest challenge in adoption?
Meeting performance, scale, cost, and process compatibility requirements simultaneously.
What is a drop-in material?
A drop-in material integrates into existing production processes without requiring changes to equipment, layout, or workflows.
