Upon reviewing their initial findings, a few things stood out.
Soybean oil mixed better with the polymers used to create their rubber compounds, making it a very flexible option, Woloszynek said.
It also has a low glass transition temperature, meaning it freezes at very low conditions. If you think of a high-performance summer tire, it s not really suitable for winter conditions because the rubber compound is formulated so that it grips the road in dry conditions and warm conditions, he said. When it gets cold, that compound has a higher glass transition temperature, so then, as the temperature of the air gets cold, that rubber starts to get stiffer.