Vipal has announced that it is collaborating in a joint research project studying the possibility of using rice husk residue derived from the process of using rice as fuel for thermoelectric power plants as a raw material for the rubber industry.

Vipal in Joint Research Project

Partners in the project are the University of Caxias do Sul, in Brazil, and Lodz Poland University of Technology.

According to Suélen Moresco, a Material and Chemistry Engineer from Vipal’s Research team, research is still at the stage of internal laboratory validation but is likely to go on to tests at the factory. The patent application for the process has already been filed by Vipal and the participating universities. According to Moresco, in addition to providing an appropriate destination for the waste, one of the advantages of using rice husk ash, is to diversify the raw materials within the rubber chain.