Internship: Optimizing Silane for Silica Types

Enhancing Filler–Rubber Interaction through Optimal Silane Loading in Rubber Compounds Filled with Different Silica Types  

Who we are 

Apollo Tires is a tire manufacturer of Indian origin. Apollo is an ambitious and growing company with factories in India and Europe, as well as sales offices around the world. About 160 employees work at Global R&D in Enschede to develop new (car) tires for Apollo and Vredestein.  

The All-season/Winter tread compound development group of the PV Compound Development and Industrialization Team is responsible for the design, development and industrialization of advanced rubber compounds optimized for winter and all-season tread performance. The team’s primary focus is on delivering reliable traction, braking, and durability across a wide range of temperatures and road conditions, including dry, wet, snowy, and icy surfaces. 

Background and Objective  
Silica is a widely used reinforcing filler in rubber compounds, but its hydrophilic surface leads to poor compatibility with non-polar rubber polymers and strong filler-filler interactions. The performance of rubber compounds in tire treads is strongly influenced by the interaction between the polymer matrix and reinforcing fillers. To improve dispersion and performance, silane coupling agents are used to chemically link the silica and rubber together. 

The required silane loading depends strongly on the type of silica, particularly its surface area and silanol density, as well as the type of silane used. High surface area silicas generally require higher silane dosage, while low surface area silicas require less. Incorrect silane loading can result in poor filler–rubber interaction, processing issues, and reduced compound performance. Therefore, identifying the optimal silane loading for different silica types is critical in silica-filled rubber compounds. The primary objective of this internship assignment is to evaluate and determine the optimal silane loading required to enhance filler-rubber interaction in rubber compounds filled with different types of silica. Specific goals include: 

• Examine how different silica types influences the processing behavior and compound performance 
• Analyze and compare the different silane types in terms of efficiency and loading 
• Determine the optimal silane dosage to enhance processing, filler dispersion, and mechanical properties of rubber compounds 
• Establish a toolbox for selecting silane type and dosage based on silica characteristics 
  

Your tasks  
Conduct a literature review on silica, silane coupling agents, and their role in rubber compounding. 
Prepare rubber compounds using different silica types with varying silane dosages 
Characterize, analyse and summarize the project findings 

Your profile 
Bachelors or equivalent degree in Chemistry, chemical engineering, polymer technology or material science.  
Good command of English. Dutch is an advantage. 
Basic computing skills, Microsoft office. MATLAB or Minitab would be beneficial. 
Good communication skills & be able to adapt to the work environment quickly 
Knowledge of rubber compounds and a basic understanding of tyres is an advantage. 

What do we offer 
Exposure to industrial tyre development processes and materials research. 
Practical experience in laboratory compounding, testing, and analysis. 
A dynamic and innovative internship environment with own working space 
Internship allowance ranging from EUR 600 to 850 per month, based on a full-time position. 

Start date: 01.06.2026 
Internship nature: Full-time 
For further details contact: hr.rd.eu@apollotyres.com 
Location: Colosseum 2, 7521 PT Enschede