LANXESS has developed Vulkanox 4060, a new anti-aging agent for the tyre industry designed as an alternative to 6PPD, a widely used additive that protects tyres from damage caused by oxygen and ozone. Vulkanox 4060 contains CCPD, or N,N’-Dicyclohexyl-p-phenylenediamine. LANXESS said the product has been developed to provide comparable ageing protection while addressing environmental concerns associated with the transformation products of 6PPD.
6PPD is used in tyres to protect rubber compounds from degradation caused by environmental exposure. Its transformation product, 6PPD quinone, has been the subject of environmental studies and regulatory attention, including research linking the substance to acute toxicity in coho salmon.
LANXESS said environmental studies conducted to date found that CCPD quinone, the corresponding transformation product of Vulkanox 4060, showed no observed acute effects in coho salmon testing up to the solubility limit. The company has completed EU REACH registration for Vulkanox 4060 under Annex VII, enabling the product to be supplied for use in the European market. LANXESS said the registration also supports the company’s plans to commercialise the new additive as tyre manufacturers assess alternatives to 6PPD.
“Vulkanox 4060 is LANXESS’s response to a specific ecotoxicological and regulatory challenge the tyre industry is facing. Extensive testing by LANXESS and our customers has shown that CCPD matches the technical performance of 6PPD – while offering a significantly improved environmental profile. With the completion of the REACH registration, we can now offer this product to the market,” said Holger Graf, Head of the Functional Tire Additives Business Line at LANXESS.
Initial commercial production of Vulkanox 4060 is planned for the fourth quarter of 2026. LANXESS said it is seeing interest from customers, particularly in the United States and Europe, as tyre manufacturers assess alternatives to 6PPD and prepare for changing environmental requirements.
The development of Vulkanox 4060 follows LANXESS’ focus on the Safe and Sustainable by Design approach. The company said CCPD was selected with consideration given to factors including degradability, bioaccumulation, aquatic toxicity and regulatory compliance.
The new additive is intended to help tyre manufacturers address changing regulatory requirements while maintaining the performance required from anti-aging protection. LANXESS said the product is being developed with consideration for the environmental profile of both the active ingredient and its transformation products. Vulkanox 4060 adds to LANXESS’ portfolio of functional tyre additives and represents the company’s latest development aimed at supporting tyre manufacturers in evaluating alternatives to established anti-aging agents.
LANXESS is a specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR 5.7 billion in 2025 and around 11,500 employees across 32 countries. The company develops, manufactures and markets chemical intermediates, additives and consumer protection products for customers across various industries. LANXESS also focuses on sustainability and has received recognition in sustainability-related indices and ratings, including the Dow Jones Best-in-Class Index, MSCI ESG ratings and ISS ESG ratings.
