ENGINEERING THERMOPLASTICS | MATERIALS


processors. One product example is the 60%-glass-fibre-reinforced Durethan BlueBKV60H2.0EF. In this PA6 compound, 92% of the raw materials have been replaced by sustainable alternatives. Lanxess is now planning to calculate the carbon footprint associated with the compounding of polyamide and also PBT.


Smaller footprint with PA6 Lanxess, which supplies different types of polyam- ide under the Durethan brand, says its PA6 compounds (Durethan B) are not only cost-effec- tive alternatives to PA66-based compounds but are also much more climate-friendly. “This is according to calculations performed by the company based on its own data and on figures published by a range of institutions,” it says. “With 3.66 tonnes of CO2 equivalents emitted per tonne of material produced, the carbon footprint of our PA6 base resin is much more than 40% lower than the current published European industry average for PA66,” says Guenter Margraf, Head of Sustainability and Product Management in Lanxess High Performance Materials. “The carbon footprint of our PA 6 compounds is therefore also correspondingly smaller.” The carbon footprint of the compounds from


Lanxess can be further reduced through use of Eco glass fibres developed by the company, which make use of industrial glass waste in their produc- tion. “The carbon footprint of our Eco glass fibres is around two-thirds smaller than that of conventional glass fibres,” says Margraf.


Lanxess says the use of a BKV50 type with Eco glass-fibre reinforcement could have reduced the carbon footprint of a battery charger cover


like this by 46% compared with a component made from PA66 with conventional glass fibres in the same quantity


Lanxess cites an on-board battery charger installed in an all-electric compact vehicle made by an unidentified German carmaker as an illustration of how the carbon footprint can be reduced. This incorporates Durethan BKV50H3.0, reinforced with 50% short glass fibres. Margraf says: “Compared with a component solution made from [an equiva- lent] PA66 compound, the carbon footprint can be reduced by 36%. The use of a BKV50 type with Eco glass-fibre reinforcement could potentially have reduced the carbon footprint by as much as 46%.” Polyamide supplier Radici also emphasised carbon footprints at the show. In China, the com- pany is now moving and expanding its compound- ing operations for the third time since it established operations in the country in 2007. This time, it is designing and building the plant itself. The result will be a doubling in capacity in the country. The plant will have top environmental credentials with LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold and (Chinese) GBL-2 Star credentials. Features include zero liquid discharge, use of rainwater, and energy from solar panels. Radici recently introduced Renycle, which makes


Above: One example of the use of BASF’s Ultraform in the consumer electronics segment, which is particu- larly keen to use more sustainable plastics, is key- board scissors


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use of post-industrial and post-consumer mechani- cally recycled resources. Radici provides full traceability, while LCAs show environmental impact is much lower than virgin material. The company has already introduced several grades. BASF presented a portfolio of selected engi- neering plastics (and also polyurethanes) with a significantly reduced PCF at the K2022 trade fair. It includes a range of Ultramid A and B polyamides, Ultradur PBT, and Ultraform POM with PCF reduc- tions of at least 30% compared to similar standard products while maintaining identical chemical and physical properties. All products currently available from the low-PCF portfolio are certified according to the mass balance approach in line with the REDcert standard. All use certified renewable feedstock. Biometh- ane or bionaphtha replace the conventional fossil raw materials. “In addition, green electricity is used in the production of low-PCF products at those sites, where it is available,” says Gregor Daun,


November/December 2022 | INJECTION WORLD 27


IMAGE: LANXESS


IMAGE: BASF


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