AUTOMOTIVE | INNOVATION
IMAGE: COVESTRO
post-industrial recycled (PIR) polycarbonate with the com- pany’s virgin Magnum ABS. The programme was
initiated when one of Trinseo’s
Tier 1 partners was approached by its customer in the develop-
ment phase of a new premium SUV, with the request to change the proposed PC/ABS
resources and contribute to the circular economy. Covestro is bringing its materials expertise in polycarbonates to Nalyses. Covestro says: “Modern materials such as the plastic polycarbonate fulfill important requirements in the development and design of today’s headlights, including the trans- parent cover of such lighting systems. However, they also play an important role when it comes to their reuse, remanufacturing or end-of-life material recycling. Current developments are also aimed at a more sustainable raw material base.” Jan Helmig, Global Technical Marketing Man- ager Lighting and Project Manager for Nalyses at Covestro, says: “The focus of our involvement in this pioneering project is the design of a materials and recycling strategy. We have extensive expertise in this area. As part of the new project, we want to work with partners to develop a near-series solution that incorporates the entire product cycle.” Covestro has previously conducted research
into a headlamp concept. In this work, a modular approach was based on different types of polycar- bonate, aiming to reduce assembly steps, space requirements, costs and CO2 emissions. It says a key requirement is focusing on one type of plastic, as this can reduce the labour needed to separate, sort and store it in recycling streams without sacrificing performance. In the Nalyses project, Heinz Nixdorf Institute at the University of Paderborn and Fraunhofer IEM are developing a digital product twin that can be used to rapidly evaluate recyclability and the effects of material selection or design on the carbon footprint. Polymer producer Trinseo has developed a PC/ ABS compound with recycled content which a premium German automotive OEM has incorpo- rated into its design programme (Trinseo has not disclosed the name of the OEM). The Pulse GX50 Eco PC/ABS has 30% recycled content and is comparable in performance to its virgin equivalent with superior flow properties, low-temperature ductility and low density. The prime material is already used in car interior applications due to its low VOCs. The Pulse Eco series, which Trinseo launched in 2020, contains between 30-50% recycled content, combining European-sourced
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material for the top roll and support of the vehicle’s doors with a more sustainable grade for series production. The Tier 1 supplier validated a sustain- able PC/ABS compound to meet the manufactur- er’s stringent standard, which could be used as a drop-in solution with the injection moulding tools, and within a tight project schedule. Trinseo’s Pulse GX50 virgin material is widely used in door panel parts for several existing models of the premium OEM and was approved for use in the develop- ment phase of the SUV’s door panel, while the more sustainable version was tested in parallel as a drop-in solution for models using Trinseo’s all- prime material. “Following the excellent results in testing, the
Pulse GX50 Eco material was transitioned to the current platform as well, emphasizing the more sustainable product’s performance and lower CO2 footprint compared to all-prime equivalent,” says Trinseo. The company delivers about 4kg of Pulse GX50 Eco PC/ABS for each vehicle. An LCA compared the difference in global warming potential (CO2 emissions), water, and energy consumption of the Eco material with its all-prime counterpart. Trinseo says that “in all cases, Pulse GX50 Eco was a more sustainable solution, with 29% less energy and 22% lower water consumption and 24% less global warming potential. Over the lifetime of the project, the decision to switch to a recycled-content containing resin will save approximately 7,000 tons of CO2, equivalent to the metal structure of the Eiffel Tower.”
CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: �
www.audi.com �
www.lyondellbasell.com �
www.wipag.com �
www.evonik.com �
www.bmwgroup.com �
www.hella.com �
www.covestro.com �
www.trinseo.com �
https://environment.ec.europa.eu/ �
https://euric.org �
https://plasticseurope.org
July/August 2023 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD 29
Left: The Nalyses project is looking at how products and raw materials can be reused as long as possible in a circular economy,
focusing on the example of a sustainable car headlamp
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