Regular air-filled tires already contain about 78% nitrogen. Why does the extra amount of nitrogen make such a big difference in tires?
There are three distinct factors at work here. First, the extra percentage of nitrogen (93% to 95%) makes a significant difference in maintaining consistent tire pressure simply because the nitrogen molecule is larger in size than the oxygen molecule and migrates out of semi-porous materials (rubber tires) at slower rates than do oxygen molecules. Studies have shown when a tire is inflated with a minimum of 93% nitrogen, the tire maintains its pressure three-to-four times longer than when regular air is utilized. Second, oxygen is a corrosion initiator and supports combustion. Both of these qualities make oxygen a poor tire inflation gas. The presence of oxygen is particularly harmful in high pressure and high moisture content environments such as the interior of a tire. So the goal is to minimize the content of oxygen and moisture to prevent interior wheel corrosion which impacts a tire’s ability to properly sit on the rim and provide a consistent, tight seal. This is becoming a signi
