MATERIALS | RECYCLED PLASTICS
IMAGE: SUMIKA
replacing metal in railings due to its high mechani- cal performance and UV stability. Tecomideco NA40 CF30 BK111 HS (PA66, 30%
Above: Sumika Polymer Compounds Europe says its Thermofil HP and Thermofil Circle PP materials cut carbon emissions
developed using Trinseo’s Pulse GX technology, is comparable in performance to its virgin equivalent and has robust technical features including superior flow properties, low-temperature ductility, and low density. Compound producer Eurotec offers tailored solutions to functional applications using up to 100% recycled formulations developed using waste from different polymers and fillers. Teco- mideco is the commercial name given to recycled PA compounds produced from textile fibre waste, which, according to tests, display comparable properties to virgin materials. Eurotec’s sustainable production process involves the elimination of metal and other contaminants from textile fibre waste, turning the waste to granules on extrusion lines, and then subjecting it to a drying and metal separation process. Using this method, and carrying out characterisation, viscosity, mechanical, and thermal testing, the company says it is able to deliver reliable, traceable material solutions.
Properties and behaviour Eurotec develops its recycled formulations de- pending on the requirements and demands of the customer. For example, Tecomideco NA43 GR30 BK005 HS (PA66, 30% glass fibre reinforced, heat stabilised, black, post-industrial recycled) displays good thermal, chemical, and long-term mechanical properties. It is predominantly used for pedal guards, cooling fan guards, air intake manifolds, oil pans and engine covers. Meanwhile, Tecomideco NA43 GR30 BK005 HT A/M50I (PA66, 30% glass fibre reinforced, long-term heat and hydrolysis stabilised, black, 50% post-industrial recycled grade) is intended for use in cooling systems that require glycol resistance. It meets OEM specifica- tions, and retained stability for more than 1,000 hours at 135°C. Tecomideco NB43 GR30 BK009/ M65I (PA6, 30% glass fibre reinforced, black, 65% post-industrial recycled grade) is suited for
18 INJECTION WORLD | September 2023
recycled carbon glass reinforced, heat stabilised, black) provides a 225 MPa tensile strength and an 18,000 MPa tensile modulus. Thermal ageing performance, required for many critical components in automotive applications, is a property that has come to be expected from sustainable products. In addition to PA materials, Eurotec offers Tecole- neco PP materials with recycled content which are aimed at under-hood parts such as brackets, clips, etc, in automotive applications. Glass fibre reinforced homopolymer PP grades contain packaging waste and display similar mechanical properties to virgin materials and customised MFI values in line with the part design, the company says. Waste PC and PET bottles are another source of feedstock for Eurotec. Tecotekeco BC44 UF65 BK013 MB/M65C (PC/ABS, unfilled, impact modified, heat stabilised, black, 65% post-consum- er recycled grade) is designed for parts that require high impact modification, good surface finish, and dimensional stability, while Tecotekeco BC44 UF65 BK012 XA80/M65C (PC/ABS, unfilled, flame retardant-Br, Cl free heat stabilised, black, 65% post-consumer recycled grade) has V0 flame rating and satisfies mechanical and impact properties even for large parts where surface quality is critical. Tecopeteco PT74 GR30 WH180 XA70 (PET, 30% GF, flame retardant, heat stabilised, post-consumer recycled grade) is currently used for lamp sockets owing to its high glow wire levels and good flammability characteristics. Sumika Polymer Compounds Europe and
Hexagon have partnered to digitise the perfor- mance of new sustainable automotive-grade PP compounds. Sumika’s short glass-fibre polypropyl- ene (GF-PP) Thermofil HP and recycled polypropyl- ene (GF-rPP) Thermofil Circle offer carmakers perfor- mance equivalent to incumbent engineering plastics, but with up to a 60% lower carbon footprint. The partners say there is a need in cars for lightweight components to maximise energy efficiency, but their environmental performance throughout the lifecycle is also an important consid- eration. With suppliers and manufacturers constantly striving to break new ground and the industry moving at breakneck speed, there is precious little useable data in the public domain, something which is hindering new developments, they say. But Hexagon thinks it has found a way around this. “Limited material behaviour data is a barrier to sustainable eMobility innovations because automo- tive engineering teams have not been able to put
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