MATERIALS | AUTOMOTIVE
Right: Elix Polymers is helping
Simoldes use more recycled materials in vehicle interiors
In its Boost project, Simoldes aims to increase the use of renewable materials by 40% during the development phase of its products. This is where E-Loop products from Elix come in, as they have mechanical recycled content. A technical validation process has been carried with a PC/ABS material, which has 30% post-consumer recyclate content. The validation included mechanical, thermal, processability, odour and emission performance against the requirements for automotive interior non-visible safety products. The product has shown equivalent properties compared to the traditional prime materials, but the carbon footprint can be reduced by up to a 40%.
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Highly demanding upper interior pillars with airbag have been injected in a unique lower injection process supported by moulds from Simoldes to produce textile-covered parts. Also, visible decorative parts for door panels with class A surfaces have been part of the evaluation programme. The parts have been presented to automotive OEMs.
Carbon cycle In another collaboration, Syensqo and Vartega will combine their talents to increase the use of recycled carbon fibre
products in high performance applications such as automotive.
The partnership will use Vartega’s process to
Above: Vartega’s EasyFeed bundles can boost carbon fibre use in thermoplastic compounding
convert Syensqo’s dry carbon fibre and prepreg waste – from its North American sites – into Var- tega’s carbon fibre EasyFeed bundles. The recycled material will then be integrated into Syensqo’s carbon fibre-reinforced Echo portfolio of speciality polymers, which is used in the automotive industry for structural parts, dampening rings and transmis- sion-related applications. “This gives composites waste a second life while enabling a significant reduction to the product carbon footprint,” said Andrew Maxey, CEO of
Vartega. “We are pleased to collaborate with Syensqo to advance this closed loop model.”
Interior grades Avient recently extended its Resound REC range of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) – which contain recycled content – with a range for automotive interiors. Its new AF 7210 grades are aimed at applica- tions such as mats, grips and console trays and supports proposed targets from the European Commission on the End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV) Directive – stipulating that a minimum of 25% of plastics used in vehicles sold after 2030 must come from post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials. The new grades contain 51-59% recycled
content, with a minimum of 37% from PCR sources, including closed-loop feedstock. They provide comparable performance to 100% virgin equiva- lents and meet various OEM specifications, says Avient – while offering an 8-18% reduction in product carbon footprint (PCF) compared to virgin grades.
“Using recycled and more sustainable materials has long been a focus in the automotive industry,” said Matt Mitchell, director of global marketing for speciality engineered materials at Avient. “These
THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITES
High-performing reinforced materials for Injecton Moulding and Additve Manufacturing
PERFORMANCE LIGHTWEIGHT
IMAGE: ELIX POLYMERS
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