TiO2 for Rubber & Tire Sidewall
White rubber compounds — anatase for soft crystal, low equipment wear; rutile for outdoor service.
White rubber compounds are used in tire sidewalls (decorative white stripe), EPDM weather strips, conveyor belts in food/pharma processing, white hoses, and various consumer rubber goods. The TiO2 in these applications provides white opacity in a high-mechanical-shear rubber compound that goes through Banbury mixing, extrusion, and vulcanization.
For most rubber applications, SEMITI A200 anatase is the preferred grade — soft crystal hardness means less wear on Banbury mixer rotors and extruder dies. For outdoor-exposed applications (premium tire sidewall, EPDM in exterior service), SEMITI 996 or 2310 rutile is acceptable but extruder wear is meaningfully higher.
Recommended SEMITI grades
Anatase for white tire sidewall, EPDM, synthetic fiber delustering — soft crystal, low equipment wear.
Universal anatase grade for inks, paper, fiber and rubber — bright white with soft, easily-dispersed crystal.
Performance requirements
| Tinting strength after Banbury mixing | No measurable loss after standard cycle |
| Compatibility with sulfur curing | No interference with vulcanization at 145–165°C |
| Heat aging (100°C / 70 hr) | Tensile retention > 80% |
| UV resistance (limited outdoor) | Chalking < grade 3 (ASTM D4214) after 1 year outdoor |
Dosage guidance
Dispersion / processing notes
Standard Banbury intensive mixer (200 L+ chamber) at 80–120°C, 60–90 rpm rotor speed. Add TiO2 with the curative package or earlier with the carbon black masterbatch (if any). Output is sheeted, cooled, and either extruded direct or pelletized for downstream forming.
Formulation tips
- →Use SEMITI A200 (anatase) for tire sidewall — soft crystal means longer Banbury rotor life
- →Pair with ZnO + amine antioxidant for sulfur vulcanization in NR / IR / IIR systems
- →For outdoor EPDM (window seals, automotive trim), accept the equipment wear penalty and use SEMITI 996 rutile
- →Premium white rubber (food-grade conveyor belt) demands FDA-compliant TiO2 — both A100 and A200 meet FDA 21 CFR 178.3297
Common pitfalls
Failure modes we've seen in customer trials — worth checking before scale-up.
- ×Using rutile in indoor / short-service rubber — pays equipment wear premium without performance benefit
- ×Skipping the antioxidant package — TiO2 alone doesn't protect rubber from oxidation
- ×Using nano TiO2 (SEMITI NANO-30) in rubber — only for personal care, not rubber
Common questions
Why anatase vs rutile for tire sidewall?+
Is TiO2 used in tire tread?+
Need help picking a grade for rubber & tire sidewall?
Send us your reference grade, formulation type, or competitor TDS. We'll respond with the SEMITI match + sample within 48 hours.