Researchers in Thailand have developed a prototype high-performance bicycle tire that replaces conventional nylon fabric reinforcement with natural silk. The team combined laboratory-scale material testing with pilot-scale tire manufacturing. Natural rubber composites were produced by placing a laye r of silk or nylon fabric between rubber sheets and bonding the layers using a resorcinol-formaldehyde-latex coating. The selected composite formulation was then used to manufacture full bicycle tires. ...read more read less