Re: history question

jim beam wrote:

what's the history of development of silica-reinforced tire rubbers?
from where/whom did this breakthrough come?

Just guessing, I'd say it came from Degussa
(company name, short for Deutsche Gold und
Silber SA). They invented fumed silica
in the quest for developing a "carbon white"
process based on silica, analogous to the
flame process for making carbon black.

When you consider that carbon black is the
main reinforcing filler used in rubber, and
Degussa is a major producer of carbon black,
it could hardly have escaped their notice
that this could be a potential application
for silica.
.