The Combustion Engine Ban as an Opportunity

The combustion engine has finally reached the end of the road. At least in Europe. From 2035, it will no longer be possible to register carbon-emitting cars and vans in the EU.

The combustion engine has finally reached the end of the road. At least in Europe. From 2035, it will no longer be possible to register carbon-emitting cars and vans in the EU. The EU Parliament reached this agreement with the EU countries in mid-February. This decision puts pressure on the automotive manufacturers to act. Now, they have a cut-off date by which they have to offer an attractive fleet of electric vehicles. And it puts pressure on politicians to act. The number of electric vehicles will increase massively from 2035 at the latest. They need electrical power, from renewable sources where possible, and a well-developed charging infrastructure.

There have been recent advances in the charging infrastructure. According to the Federal Network Agency, the number of public charging stations in Germany rose by over 30 percent last year; the high-speed charging points even increased by almost 50 percent. At the beginning of December 2022, almost 40,000 public charging facilities, with a total of 76,000 charging points, were available in Germany. So there is still a long way to go until the one million charging points targeted by the German government have been reached. However, some voices, for example from the energy industry, doubt whether so many are needed at all. This must be quickly clarified by the politicians, so that a coherent concept can be quickly established and implementation be started. After all, 2035 is only 12 years away.

The plastics industry has certainly already launched many developments aimed at promoting the mobility of the future. That is shown by our Automotive Special from page 15, with, for example, a comprehensive overview of developments in fuel-cell vehicles, materials for electric vehicles and the use of recyclates for sophisticated structural parts and automotive interiors.

16:9

Editorial Streifinger

Elektromobilität

Mobilität

Streifinger, Florian

Kunststoff Werkstoffe

“Recycling Is More than a  Trendy Topic“

HolyPoly is a watchword for fascination at the changeable nature of plastic material. But top of mind for the Dresden start-up are products at the end of their service life. The objective: to establish more and – above all – high-quality products from recycled plastics on the market.

Recycling as a business model: the start-up HolyPoly wants to bring more high-quality products made from recycled plastic onto the market.

Theoretically, plastic recycling sounds simple: making new products from used. Ideally, what this would elicit is a closed loop – as in the well-known PET bottle example. In practice, however, a number of hurdles may complicate what initially appears to be a simple project. The Dresden start-up HolyPoly wants to help brand manufacturers get over this hurdle. Their vision: a world in which recycling is second nature. Kunststoffe spoke with the two managing directors, Joanna Bialek and Fridolin Pflüger, as part of the series New Plastic Heroes. In this interview, they discuss the company‘s goals, the challenges of recycling plastics and the risks of greenwashing.

Kunststoffe: Why does plastic recycling remain so difficult, despite modern technologies?

Fridolin Pflüger: Ultimately, it boils down to three factors: the available quantity of high-quality recyclates, consistency in the material and, of course, the price. Manufacturers have been used to getting their material in exactly the same quality and quantity every time for decades, and specifications have become increasingly narrow. Unfortunately, the confusion of the circular economy has made it increasingly difficult to maintain this approach. Used plastics show signs of their usage journey, as color and other properties differ from the usual norms. Moreover, post-consumer alternatives are usually costlier than virgin materials.

Kunststoffe: How can this be changed – also using HolyPoly?

Pflüger: Conversely, we mitigate the quantity limitations by leveraging our deep insights into the secondary plastics market, right into sources that are not readily accessible. This helps us extend our reach far beyond the usual distributors or well-known recyclers or compounders. Over and above their types, we look at many more, which helps consolidate our status as a go-to contact in the fragmented European market for recyclates.

Kunststoffe: And despite this, valuable resources go missing daily in the form of plastic waste.

Pflüger: As well as flying in the face of sustainability, this is also inefficient from an economic perspective. And that‘s why we directly address unused material flows by setting up and operating take-back systems and recycling programs. The next step involves us developing our own formulations and compounding specifications that modify the material for the desired application and compensate for input fluctuations. The crucial part is what comes next, namely: circular product development. Reflecting the primary goal of design, layout and manufacturing with the circular economy.

Kunststoffe: You specifically address brand manufacturers – why?

Johanna Bialek: If brands showing a clear attitude use recycled material or initiate their own recycling programs, the industry as a whole will also come on board. Brands dictate what is produced and how, and thus also what will later become waste. That‘s why we‘re targeting them and empowering them to really change course. The cultural aspect is also impossible to ignore here. Brands also indirectly convey values through their products. This allows them to promote a lifestyle and recycling and thus make it part of everyday life.

Kunststoffe: But as research shows, this constitutes greenwashing more often than not. From your perspective: How big is the problem?

Bialek: At this point, you have to look behind the words of what the companies really promise. As far as know, deliberate falsehoods about the use of recycled materials are very rare. Instead, the topic of recyclability often emerges, which many already understand as “recycled“. Real recycling also only works if waste ends up in an appropriate infrastructure; unfortunately, this is almost never considered.

Kunststoffe: When do things get trickiest?

Bialek: Many companies look for the easy option, when advertising with the term recycling, but with few substantive changes to their economic and production approaches. Given a post-consumer substitution rate of under 10 percent in Germany according to the latest Conversio study, much remains to be done. And that is actually problematic: People are over-promising and under-delivering when it comes to really fulfilling these commitments.

Kunststoffe: So it‘s all a matter of calculation?

Pflüger: It’s a gray area. We also have to accept that certain aspects of sustainability are contradictory and we have to maintain our stance as a thought leader on this without overburdening consumers with details. Many companies still lack any experience with communication around recycling and sustainability in their marketing departments. Experience shows that false statements are often made inadvertently, due to a lack of expertise and care.

Pflüger: A Green Claiming Regulation is currently being negotiated on a European level. This could then prohibit scope to make general environmental claims in advertising and marketing, for example, unless there is tangible evidence of excellent environmental performance on the part of the product or company. For us, regulations like these constitute an important signal in the sense of an emergency brake.

Kunststoffe: This may hinder greenwashing, but probably not rule it out entirely.

Pflüger: Correct! Simply changing a few rules or imposing a few bans is insufficient. There is a need for market conditions that incentivize circular value creation and the positive climate impact in general. If all players who are actually serious about sustainability were given a clear competitive advantage and those who only pretend to be so were disadvantaged, greenwashing would simply no longer be worthwhile.

Kunststoffe: Finally: we are currently experiencing a real recycling boom. What will remain of it in the long term?

Pflüger: We are delighted at the growing interest in plastics recycling and the fact that more and more manufacturers also want to become active themselves. But it is more than just a trendy topic. Key now is to build on this momentum to establish a roadmap for sustainable and effective change. However nice the boom may feel – with the substitution rates in mind, we know the road to a circular economy remains very long and rocky. We need to transform the entire metabolism of industrial society. We have no other choice: hype that spawns lasting success.

Johanna Bialek, co-foundeer of the start-up and head of human resources and organizational development , and Fridolin Pflüger, founding member.

Johanna Bialek co-founded the start-up and is head of human resources and organizational development 

Founding member Fridolin Pflüger is in charge of sales.

HolyPoly - Hauptartikel

HolyPoly: Start-up Turns Recycling into a Business Model

<ul><li>Name: HolyPoly GmbH</li><li>Founded: 2020 in Dresden, Germany</li><li>Total customers: 28</li><li>Number of employees: 25</li><li>Homepage:<a href="https://www.holypoly.co/en" target="_blank">www.holypoly.co</a></li></ul>

article in our magazine Kunststoffe or at

<a href="https://www.kunststoffe.de/a/interview/recycling-ist-mehr-als-ein-trendthema-3360232" target="_blank">www.kunststoff.de</a>

Recycling

Umweltmanagement

Start up

Wirtschaft

Unternehmen und Unternehmer

Ehrhardt, Melanie

Kunststoff-Recycling

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Verfahren

Kunststoff-Aufbereitung

Kreislaufwirtschaft

The Plasmatreat Academy Builds Bridges between Research and Industry

Many unresolved questions about the choice of materials and how this affects surface properties can be solved with the aid of atmospheric plasma technology – a specialty of the technology company Plasmatreat. Here, it is good to know what plasma is capable of. The Plasmatreat Academy gives an overview of reliable and sustainable manufacturing solutions – from the basics to in-depth information about special cases.

The Plasmatreat Academy gives an overview of reliable and sustainable manufacturing solutions concerning plasma surface treatment.

Plasma surface treatment, which has been on the market since 1995 as the Openair-Plasma process from Plasmatreat GmbH, is a relatively young technology. It is therefore not surprising that its far-reaching potential for solving a wide variety of material questions in industrial processes has by no means been exhausted. Plasmatreat wants to change this. In 2019, the world market leader in atmospheric plasma technology opened its Technology Center at its headquarters in Steinhagen, Germany, and, since 2020, has been running the Plasmatreat Academy, which sees itself as a mediator of knowledge between research and industry.

Surface treatment with Openair-Plasma is used for ultrafine cleaning, activation and functionalization of surfaces, for example for non-polar plastics. It increases the surface energy and thereby simplifies downstream processes, such as bonding, printing, painting and sealing. PlasmaPlus nanocoating can also be used to generate functional surface properties with tailored characteristics, for example to improve an adhesive bonding or painting process. In industrial use, the clean technology, which only requires compressed air and electricity for operation, ensures efficient processes. It is readily reproducible, can be applied selectively and easily integrated into existing production lines. “Our almost inexhaustible potential applications make us a universal problem solver. To further promote knowledge transfer between research and industry, we founded the Plasmatreat Academy in 2020,” says Christian Buske, founder and managing director of Plasmatreat.

Universal Problem Solver Uses Air  as Process Gas

The Plasmatreat Academy, located in the Technology Center in Steinhagen, combines theory and practice under one roof. Here, seminars, training courses and workshops, technical talks, high-caliber congresses, events on key topics and more – as face-to-face events or digital – are held to ensure professional knowledge transfer and profitable exchange of know-how between research and industry. To reach as wide an audience as possible, events are organized in different languages, such as English, German, Spanish or Japanese. Plasmatreat appeals to existing and potential customers, their suppliers and designers, project planners, purchasers or plant operators – i.e. everyone who is in some way involved in surface treatment (cleaning, activation and coating).

In addition, it trains its own employees here, as well as the workforce of companies using this technology. The range of topics is varied, extending from principles that give an overview of surface treatment with plasma, to special, partly mutually reinforcing, industry-specific or application-specific focuses.

Environmentally Friendly Technology – High Demand for Technical Expertise

The scientific findings gained from research projects with universities and institutes and the needs of customers, give rise to new topics for the Academy and innovations for use in practical applications. In recent years, industry has been particularly interested in how plasma applications can make different surface treatment steps more environmentally and climate friendly. The way in which the plasma technology supports users in implementing environmentally friendly processes that can reduce VOC (volatile organic compounds) and CO2 emissions can be experienced, for example, in the seminar “Environmentally friendly processes by reducing VOC and CO2 by means of Openair-Plasma” by Dr. Alexander Knospe, Head of Innovations & Patents. Practical examples are used to explain in detail how plasma technology combines fundamental advantages:

<ul><li>more efficiency in production,</li><li>lower environmental pollution due to CO2 and energy savings, and</li><li>the elimination of chemicals together with more possibilities and improved performance.</li></ul>

Knospe presents a variety of examples: for example, the quality-enhancing pretreatment of headlamp housings for the automotive industry, which has been established for two decades, ensures reliable sealing of the parts without turning to chemical adhesion promoters, such as solvent-containing primers, which generate CO2 when (post-)incinerated. The production of hybrid parts, for example of wood and plastic, or the long-term stable connection of actually incompatible plastics is made possible by pretreatment with Openair-Plasma, also without the aid of a primer and without VOC emissions.

The technology is also used for pretreatment of plastic parts with challenging 3D geometries, as is the case with instrument panels for well-known automotive manufacturers. Here, plasma treatment replaces conventional flame treatment, and thereby reduces considerable CO2 emissions by comparison, since no organic gases are incinerated. If green energy is used in plasma treatment, there will be no CO2 emissions at all.

Theory Meets Practice: New Technical Solutions Emerge from Demand

However, PlasmaPlus nanocoating can optimize and enhance many manufacturing processes. The elimination of wet chemicals, silicone-based release agents or primers for pretreatment is promoted by various PlasmaPlus applications: PT-Bond as adhesion promoter, AntiCorr for corrosion protection, PT-Print for immaculate printed results or PT-Release for release-agent-free processing of PUR plastics in injection molding processes. The various examples in the Plasmatreat Academy also teach the participants about the impressive CO2 savings.

With these advantages, it is obvious that there is great industrial interest in the offerings of the Plasmatreat Academy. The benefit is mutual, since Plasmatreat develops new technical solutions based on the determined needs of its customers. For example, with the PFW10LT (low temperature), the plasma specialist recently launched a low-temperature nozzle, which also activates thermally sensitive materials and surfaces, such as PE or PP textiles, with high intensity. It reduces the temperature input compared to standard nozzles and ensures particularly gentle but intensive treatment prior to downstream process processes, such as bonding. It is particularly suitable for small treatment areas and contours, such as bores or grooved regions, for deep-lying applications in 3D parts or for medical components and products.

Ideas for New Research and Application Fields

True to the corporate motto “Every Surface a Plasmatreat(ed) Surface”, the Plasmatreat Academy shows what versatile possibilities are available with the aid of plasma technology, for reliable, resource-efficient, energy-saving and clean industrial processes. This gives food for thought for new fields of research and application, and gives the managing director Christian Buske an insight: “In close exchange with our existing and potential users and scientists, completely new possibilities are emerging, for example for the better processing of recycled materials or the joining together of hybrid parts and components from actually incompatible materials. Future PlasmaPlus nanocoatings are also highly promising: AntiIce coating is interesting for aviation, among other applications. With AntiFlame, we want to set new standards in terms of fire protection.” These are big plans that require a lot of space for research and exchange between scientists and industry.

… Erhard Krampe, Manager for Technology Transfer and Knowledge Exchange at Plasmatreat

Mr. Krampe, you are head of the Plasmatreat Academy. The current developments probably work to your benefit, don’t they?

Absolutely! Openair-Plasma applications can make pretreatment of a wide variety of process steps more environmentally and climate-friendly – industry has a greater interest than ever in this, in times of scarce resources, rapidly rising energy prices and the threatening climate collapse.

Where is this technology particularly useful?

Plasma pretreatment is used to improve processes such as bonding, painting, printing or sealing of different materials. At the same time, the technology makes it possible to dispense with chemical treatment in many industrial applications. In addition, it helps to make processes more efficient and reduce CO2 emissions.

People must be flocking to you right now ...

Yes, plasma technology’s hour has come: for those who know how effective plasma surface treatment is, the technology is absolutely essential. On the other hand, word about the possibilities of this still-young technology has not spread everywhere yet. For some material questions, we have long had a solution here in Steinhagen that is not known by all companies yet. This is precisely where our Plasmatreat Academy starts by linking theoretical knowledge with hands-on training in our labs.

Does knowledge transfer only go in one direction?

No, we must understand our customers’ manufacturing processes and the challenges they pose. Exchange is therefore extremely important. We want to promote development and therefore work with partners on numerous research projects. The knowledge gained from this and the knowledge about our customers’ needs are continually creating new topics for the Academy and innovations for the practical application.

Where does the technology play a role in resource conservation, climate protection and the circular economy?

All you need for plasma technology are clean, dry compressed air and electricity – preferably green. Openair-Plasma operates without flammable gas and CO2 emissions. Plasma pretreatment also allows expensive and energy-intensive plastics to be exchanged for more economical and better recyclable materials. And a simple example that we showed at K 2022: products made of recycled plastic could be reliably printed after treatment.

Clemens Doriat, editor, asked the questions

In the use of Openair-Plasma (left), the plasma beam operates selectively and follows the part geometry. Only very little heat is produced, so that the treated parts remain dimensionally stable. In the case of PlasmaPlus coating (right), specific additives are introduced into the plasma via a special nozzle head. They are excited by the plasma significantly increasing their reactivity.

The Plasmatreat Technology Center has laboratories and seminar  rooms in the immediate vicinity to integrate live demonstrations into the practical training courses.

Openair-Plasma treatment increases the wettability. For example, environmentally compatible, solvent-free and aqueous pigment systems can be used.

The declared aim of lightweight design is to save resources in the manufacturing and use of a product. Plasma treatment often permits new material combinations.

The PFW10LT plasma nozzle is mainly used to activate very small areas or regions that are difficult to reach in the case of thermally sensitive plastics.

Hauptartikel

Plasmatreat Academy Transfers Plasma Technology Know-How to the Plastics Industry

Beschichten von Kunststoffen

Oberflächentechnik

Chemisches Bearbeiten (Auftragen)

Plasmabehandlung

Reinigen und Vorbehandeln

Weiterbildung, allgemeine

Dienstleistungen

Seminare, Schulungen, Kongresse

“Nothing Speaks against the Use of Recyclates for Demanding Components”

Automakers have formulated ambitious targets for lower CO2 footprints of their vehicles. Hereby, plastics with a recycled portion play a key role. This topic we discussed with Frank Schumann, Global Segment Director Mobility at Trinseo. In the interview, he also talks about the current design trends for automobile interiors, and which battery type could become established for electric vehicles.

Automakers have formulated ambitious plans for their vehicles. We discussed this topic with Frank Schumann from Trinseo.

Currently, the automotive industry is going through more changes than it did for decades. The change to electric vehicles has triggered many modifications that are not limited to the drive train. There is also the demand from customers and politics for more sustainability. And even earlier, the trend towards more intelligent vehicles, up to autonomous driving, set the ball rolling in several areas. What effect these trends have on the materials used, was the question placed by Kunststoffe to Frank Schumann, Global Segment Director Mobility at Trinseo. Also covered during the interview were the latest lighting trends, and whether the plastics manufacturer will become a recycling company.

Kunststoffe: Which design trends do you presently see for automobile interiors?

Frank Schumann: At present, there is an enormous drive towards backlighting in vehicle interiors. Moreover, the electrification of components is advancing strongly. In addition, there is the trend to a “living room on wheels”, combined with autonomous driving. Currently, lots of work in this field is going into driver attention alert systems. This is of great interest for the plastics industry, because it also requires backlighting.

Schumann: Regarding backlighting, there are very large regional differences. In North America, individual switches are frequently still backlit. But in other regions of the world, so-called light guides are becoming established to a greater extent, i.e. unobtrusively integrated, only indirectly visible lighting elements. For example, they surround entire doors or dashboards. There is also a trend towards planar backlighting. These are behind textiles and also in plastic components. For the latter, transparent materials are required. How this backlighting can best be integrated in practice, is presently the subject of lively discussions. For example, it can also be integrated with films. Important hereby is that the components still meet all crash and safety-related requirements.

Kunststoffe: Light on the exterior is also very popular at the moment.

Schumann: Absolutely. Whereby, attention management is also very much in the foreground. Of course not that of the driver, but that of other road users. Exterior lighting design differs even more according to regions, as it also depends greatly on the applicable regulations. For example, this also applies for the permitted color spaces. Precise color hues are extremely important. And as a raw material producer one must frequently make use of the entire spectrum of adaptation possibilities for plastics. Not only for the color hue, but also in the way in which light is coupled out from a component. Sometimes it is important to create highly diffuse, homogeneous lighting. In Germany, the legal framework is very tight. Much of what would be technically possible, is simply not allowed, also not on a stationary vehicle. Therefore, it will probably take quite a while before illumination of all large panel surfaces is permitted in this country. The Asian market is far more interested in trying out new things, and taking customer wishes into account more quickly.

Kunststoffe: You mentioned autonomous driving. What is the situation with the necessary sensors?

Schumann: Sensors on vehicle exteriors is a highly current subject. Here, we have noted a steep learning curve with various OEMs. Many of them are following completely different concepts for the integration of sensors. Some are increasingly placing lidar and radar systems on the vehicle roof, others are integrating a whole range of sensors in the vehicle‘s front. And a third group relies completely on cameras, like Tesla for example. Of course, this also means that different types of plastic can be used. Overall, a 360-degree sensor coverage is required. It must be functional, have an appealing design, and be easily integratable – frequently without seams. As this is not possible with metal, it requires the use of plastics.

Kunststoffe: Much is in flow also with batteries. Several manufacturers are testing very different structures and concepts.

Schumann: At present there are very different designs and technologies on the market. Regarding materials, this ranges from simple mono-material concepts up to designs with very complex composite materials. The most exciting question is: Which design will prove to be the safest and most cost efficient version, and can also be suitably scaled for worldwide use in different battery sizes and capacities. In future, the produced quantities of vehicle batteries will be very high. Accordingly, the entire plastics industry is highly interested to participate. And therefore, strong competition is presently emerging between the companies, whereby each one tries to present its own strengths in the best way.

Kunststoffe: And which battery type will come out on top?

Schumann: It currently looks as if the mass market is tending towards battery types with cylindrical cells. The factories that are currently being built and their capacities speak in favor of this. However, this has not been decided. We still have to look into the crystal ball.

Kunststoffe: Another important trend in the automotive field is sustainability, e.g. through the use of recycled materials.

Schumann: Recyclates are nothing new in this field. They have already been used in vehicles for very long. But so far, automakers have used them exclusively to reduce costs. That is changing. We are presently conducting in-depth expert talks with all OEMs and tiers about recycled materials to reduce CO2 emissions. Meanwhile, ecological balance and CO2 footprint are established criteria. Just a few years ago, that was not the case. The greatest difference to the past is that recyclates were previously limited to less demanding components. But now, their application range is widening and also involves high-grade and high-performance parts.

Kunststoffe: Is the demand for corresponding materials also increasing for you?

Schumann: At the K 2019 we introduced high-grade PC+ABS blends with a recycling content. Meanwhile, these are already on the road, for example in door trims of a large German premium OEM. There, several kilograms of our materials are used per vehicle, and the feedback is very positive. One fascinating aspect is that materials for door trims must meet all crash requirements. This shows: There is nothing fundamental that speaks against the use of recyclates for such demanding parts. The challenge is simply to find the necessary high-grade basic raw materials. This selection process to find reliable feedstock sources is very tedious and so far has not resulted in a cost advantage.

Kunststoffe: You offer the discussed PC+ABS blends with 30 and 50 percent recycling content. However, they contain only PC and no ABS recyclates. Is this a question of availability or are there material-related reasons?

Schumann: That is correct. In our Pulse Eco blends we only use PC as recycled component. The maximum recycling content is also limited by the recipe. We decided intentionally for this combination, simply based on the product‘s technical performance. Crash-relevant components such as door and A-column claddings have very demanding specifications – low temperature ductility for example. We therefore rely on the well-known very high performance of our virgin ABS Magnum as backbone of the recipe, because that is the most reliable solution.

Kunststoffe: Do you use post-industrial or post-consumer recyclates?

Schumann: Both. We intend to make Pulse Eco the first global grade of a recycling-based PC+ABS blend for high-quality automotive interiors. For reasons of sustainability, it must be produced locally. Presently, we are introducing the material in China and the USA, based on Chinese and American recyclates respectively. But the availability of recycled PC varies widely regionally, and we cannot permit compromises in the technical performance. Therefore, we have not limited ourselves completely to these categories, but operate according to the recycling definition of the ISO 14021 standard and use external raw material sources.

Kunststoffe: At last year‘s K you also introduced a bio-based ABS for vehicles. Did availability play a decisive role?

Schumann: Up to the end of the decade, the supply quantities for mechanically recyclable plastics will not be enough to serve the sustainability goals of all the OEMs. At the same time there will be a fierce price war about the available materials. That is why we need alternatives, particularly for plastics that presently cannot be recycled mechanically in large quantities. This is where bio-based plastics come into play. They will be a transition solution until recyclates are sufficiently available. For several types of plastic, we also see chemical recycling as a possibility. That pays off especially with polymers whose energy consumption during chemical recycling is relatively low. Compared with the production of virgin material, this will greatly reduce CO2 emissions. For us, this applies for PMMA as an example. Here, we are already very active in chemical recycling. For ABS and PC, on the other hand, we prefer a solvent-based, physical recycling method, also based on a potentially very attractive ecological balance.

Kunststoffe: So the main factor is simply availability?

Schumann: There is another aspect that plays a role. For high-grade and crash-relevant automotive components, bio-based plastics are a convenient option. As true drop-in materials, they equal the quality of virgin material and therefore require no technical and optical requalification.

Kunststoffe: In the past years, you have entered various recycling cooperations, for example with JSW for chemical recycling of PMMA, and with Ineos for depolymerization of styrene, and you took over the waste disposal and recycling company Heathland. Will Trinseo become a recycling company?

Schumann: Partially, yes. There is also a certain general market trend. Many companies have realized that due to the tight availabilities in the secondary raw material market they must keep very close to the sources. We deliberately go a bit further upstream. To ensure the qualities that we need, we want to collect and sort the plastics ourselves. The purchase of Heathland was only a first step in this direction. In future, one side effect of this could be that we also become partially active as a waste trader in that we sell wastes that do not have the quality we require. Solvent-based and chemical recycling are further elements that we need. Otherwise, we would not obtain the necessary quantities.

KU 3-23_Int.Trinseo - Hauptartikel

Interview: “Nothing Speaks against the Use of Recyclates for Demanding Components”

For 18 years, Frank Schumann has been involved at the intersection between the plastics and automotive industry. Since the start of this year, he is Global Segment Director Mobility with the plastics producer Trinseo, where he has been employed since 2018. Before that, he worked almost ten years for the automotive supplier IAC. There, Schumann was responsible for the further development of injection molding operations, amongst others. His career started in 2005 with today‘s Plastic Omnium Automotive Exteriors, who at that time was still called Dynamit Nobel Kunststofftechnik. Schumann studied material sciences at the Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg, and acquired his MBA at the Aston Business School in Birmingham.

Read the German version of the article in our magazine Kunststoffe or at <a href="https://www.kunststoffe.de/a/interview/es-spricht-nichts-gegen-den-einsatz-von--3455687" target="_blank">www.kunststoffe.de</a>

Batterien

Energiespeicherung

Lichttechnik

Kunststoff-Rezyklat

Recyclate Reduce the CO2 Footprint in Seals and Interior Applications

The use of TPE materials with recycled content supports the constantly evolving material requirements of the automotive industry regarding the use of recycled materials and CO2 footprint. In addition to classic exterior applications, TPEs are increasingly used in demanding interior applications with high odor and emission requirements.

The use of TPE materials with recycled content increases the sustainability of vehicles. They are also used more and more in the interior.

In recent years, the focus of industry and consumers on the environmental impact of materials has steadily increased. This is particularly evident in the automotive industry, with many OEMs setting ambitious targets for recyclate use. Volvo, for example, aims to use at least 25 % recyclate in every new car by 2025 [1]. Renault already achieves 33 % recyclate use in cars produced in Europe [2]. A similar recyclate quota is also targeted by BMW and Mercedes, and by 2030 the share of secondary raw materials in all models should increase to 40 % on average [3, 4].

However, a higher recyclate quota places many new challenges on the materials, as more complex components must be realized. Good examples of this are interior visible parts and seals, which until recently could not be produced with recyclate. With new thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), however, even these demanding applications can be realized, the recyclate quota increased and the CO2 footprint reduced.

In general, there are currently two types of recyclate on the market: pre-consumer/post-industrial recyclate (PIR) and post-consumer recyclate (PCR). The distinction is usually made according to the ISO 14021 standard, which defines the categories: Post-industrial recyclate is material diverted from the waste stream during a manufacturing process. Excluded is the reutilization of materials such as rework, regrind or scrap generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it. Injection molding sprues or extrusion edge trimmings can become PIR, preferably from high-value products such as food, hygiene and medical applications.

In contrast, post-consumer recyclate is obtained from the waste of end consumers. PCR sources from end-of-life vehicle recycling are conceivable. It can be seen from these definitions that post-industrial recyclate is generally easier to obtain in purer qualities and bright colors (Fig. 1), while post-consumer recyclate is usually of lower quality.

Selection of the Correct Type  of Recyclate

Waste, for example, from industrial or household collections, is mechanically shredded, separated and then processed into a regrind or regranulate. These are used as raw materials for TPE compounds, which are then processed into the final component by injection molding or extrusion. Due to the varying quality of the waste products, it is very important to select the correct type of recyclate depending on the market segment and origin.

In addition to such mechanical recyclate, intensive work is also being done to generate recyclate by chemical means (for example, pyrolysis or depolymerization). However, this is still in the experimental phase, and commercial quantities are limited.

The automotive sector has historically been one of the most important segments for recyclate, although the technical requirements for the materials are usually high.

For example, sufficient material will need to be produced over the model’s life, i.e., the recyclate source must be sufficiently large and reliable. For a material to be specified for a component, the material quality must remain constant over the complete runtime. Each component must be evaluated to determine whether recyclate content is a possibility. Despite these requirements, the automotive industry has set high targets for the use of recyclate. The most obvious case for the use of recycled materials is exterior applications where temperature, UV stability and visibility are required. Examples are wheel arch liners, kick plates, side steps and mud flaps. Depending on the hardness of the application, high recycled content (> 50 %) is possible, and post-consumer recyclate can be used. PCR materials usually have a stronger odor, but this is less relevant in such applications. However, to achieve high levels of recycled content in the car, only working with components with Shore D hardness and low requirements will not be sufficient. This is why softer applications are increasingly being switched to TPE with recycled content.

Such applications include various components for air and water separation and disc seals, usually designed in the hardness range of 60 to 90 Shore A. In addition to the lower hardness, such materials must offer sufficient recovery behavior and sealing to fulfil their function (low compression set). Furthermore, such components often have long flow paths and relatively complex geometries, which is why highly flowable materials are necessary. Stable extrudable materials with a low compression set below 40 % (70 °C/22 h) are required for profile seals.

TPEs with recycled content can also be used for applications in the engine compartment, but the media with which they come into contact and the temperatures to which they are exposed must be considered. For such high requirements, switching to vulcanized TPE (TPV) may be necessary, in which recycled material can also be used, but the percentage is more limited.

However, a more challenging field of application for TPEs with recycled content is the automotive interior, as many requirements can be problematic for mechanical recyclate.

TPE with Recycled Content for  the Interior

In the interior, it is imperative that the materials used do not smell. This is especially important because odors are amplified many times over by the limited space in the car and increased temperatures due to sunlight. For this reason, odor tests in the automotive sector are carried out at elevated temperatures (for example, 80  °C).

In addition to these requirements, TPEs for the interior must be easy to process to produce visually flawless surfaces. Typical applications include mats, HVAC components (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) and soft elements for noise and vibration reduction (e.g., in the center console) (Fig. 2). Other OEM requirements, such as emission limits, mechanical performance, heat resistance and light fastness, must, of course, also be met by materials with recycled content. The fulfilment of these requirements and the regulatory harmlessness (e.g., compliance with GADSL and Reach specifications) must be guaranteed for recycled materials in the long term.

As mentioned above, odor and emissions, in particular, have been problematic, so only now can the first TPEs with recycled content be used for interior applications. The Table shows the emission values of some typical Dryflex Circular TPEs with PIR recycled content for the interior. The emission values are well below the limits commonly used by OEMs. Depending on the hardness and the requirements of the component, recycled content of approx. 20 to 50 % can be achieved in the interior.

By using recycled materials, it is also possible to reduce the CO2 footprint of TPE compounds. The amount of reduction depends on the raw materials used and how they are recycled. Furthermore, the calculation methodology and system boundaries play an important role. For intermediate products, the cradle-to-gate approach according to ISO 14040, ISO 14044 and ISO 14067 is often used.

The main factors influencing the CO2 footprint of a TPE compound are the raw materials used, the transport of the raw materials, the compounding process, and the packaging materials. The largest contribution is made by the raw materials used (>85 %), which results from the high (often still fossil) energy input for the synthesis of the monomers and their polymerization. In comparison, the energy input and the associated CO2 emissions for processing recycled materials are usually lower.

According to this calculation, the global warming potential of an 85 Shore A material can be reduced by 23 % if a material with 30 % post-industrial recyclate is used instead. A similar result is obtained using 40 % post-consumer recyclate in a 40 Shore D TPE: the global warming potential is reduced by 26 % (Fig. 3).

In addition to materials with recycled content, it is also possible to use TPEs with bio-based content for applications in the automotive sector. For example, polymers, plasticizers or fillers based on plants, sugar cane or fiber can serve as raw materials. For example, a bio-based floor mat has been realized (Fig. 4) that fulfils the usual requirements for automotive interiors (e.g., light resistance and low VOC and odor emission values). It is also possible to use biofillers like natural cork to introduce advantages such as low density, eco-design aspects and a low CO2 footprint.

In summary, with the right choice of raw materials, it is possible to realize automotive applications in the Shore A and D hardness range with recycled content. Depending on the application, recycled content of up to 50 % can be realized, which supports suppliers and OEMs in achieving their sustainability goals. With new, softer recyclate, it will be possible in the future to further increase the recycling share without having to compromise on material performance.

Close cooperation between OEMs, suppliers, compound manufacturers, recyclers and (bio)raw material producers can accelerate the shift to more sustainable materials in vehicle construction. In addition to working with various OEMs, Hexpol TPE is also a partner in the Polestar 0 project to develop a climate-neutral car [5]. Cooperation with almaak international GmbH (manufacturer of recycled technical thermoplastics) enables the combination of TPE and technical thermoplastics with recycled content for 2-component injection molding [6].

[1] <a href="https://www.media.volvocars.com/ch/de-ch/media/pressreleases/230703/ab-2025-stecken-in-jedem-neuen-fahrzeug-von-volvo-cars-25-prozent-recyclingkunststoffe" target="_blank">https://www.media.volvocars.com/ch/de-ch/media/pressreleases/230703/ab-2025-stecken-in-jedem-neuen-fahrzeug-von-volvo-cars-25-prozent-recyclingkunststoffe</a>

[2] <a href="https://www.renaultgroup.com/en/news-on-air/news/circular-economy-moving-up-a-gear/" target="_blank">https://www.renaultgroup.com/en/news-on-air/news/circular-economy-moving-up-a-gear/</a>

[3] <a href="https://group.mercedes-benz.com/nachhaltigkeit/ressourcen/kreislaufwirtschaft.html" target="_blank">https://group.mercedes-benz.com/nachhaltigkeit/ressourcen/kreislaufwirtschaft.html</a>

[4] <a href="https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/deutschland/article/detail/T0403367DE/bmw-group-nachhaltigkeit-durch-innovation-2022" target="_blank">https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/deutschland/article/detail/T0403367DE/bmw-group-nachhaltigkeit-durch-innovation-2022</a>

[5] <a href="https://media.polestar.com/de/de/media/pressreleases/659180" target="_blank">https://media.polestar.com/de/de/media/pressreleases/659180</a>

[6] <a href="https://almaak.de" target="_blank">https://almaak.de</a>/

The selection of high-quality recyclate enables their use in demanding automotive applications.  

Fig. 1. Example of a typical recycling process from PIR and PCR sources. Generally, the quality of PIR are higher, and they are easier to reuse for plastic products.

Fig. 2. The use of recycled material in air control elements requires a very high quality of recycled material.

Fig. 3. Reduction of the global warming potential (GWP) through the use of recyclate (calculated in kg CO2e/kg material): Significant savings are possible with both PIR and PCR materials. 

Fig. 4. Bio-based TPEs can also be used to great effect in interior applications, such as inlay mats. 

Table. Typical odor and emission values of Dryflex Circular TPE with recycled content. 

KUint2-23_Hexpol TPE - Hauptartikel

TPE with Recycled Content for Interieur Parts

Florian Dresel, M. Sc., is Central Research Engineer at Hexpol TPE.

Dr.-Ing. Thomas Köppl is Group Product Manager Hexpol TPE; <a href="mailto:thomas.koeppl@hexpoltpe.com">thomas.koeppl@hexpoltpe.com</a>

Dipl.-Chem. Michael Walter is Business Development Manager at Hexpol TPE.

Hexpol TPE is a global polymer compounding group specializing in thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs). TPEs are used in key industries such as consumer, medical, packaging, automotive, construction and electronics. The German site is located in Lichtenfels, Upper Franconia, Germany.

Read the German version of the article in our magazine Kunststoffe or at <a href="https://www.kunststoffe.de/a/fachartikel/weich-elastisch-und-recycelt-3455681" target="_blank">www.kunststoffe.de</a>

Thermoplastische Elastomere

Thermoplaste

Fuel cells lend themselves to many areas in the transportation sector. Heavy-duty transportation in particular profits from the technology. However, the complex drive systems require special materials. Polyphenylene sulfide-based compounds developed specifically for this purpose not only offer the necessary mechanical and chemical resistance, but also greatly extend the systems’ service life.

Fuel cells lend themselves to the transportation sector. PPS compounds meet the technical requirements and extend the service life of the drive systems.

The ever-growing increase in CO2 emissions caused, among other things, by fossil-energy use, has stimulated growth in renewable and eco-friendly energy solutions globally. Hydrogen is quickly becoming a global contender for alternative energy applications, and as such is attracting massive investments all over the world. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the solar system, but on Earth it only occurs in compound form. Hydrogen must therefore be produced from molecules, being converted through specific processes such as thermo-chemical conversion, biochemical conversion, or water electrolysis.

Global hydrogen production today reaches about 75 million t per year, produced almost entirely from natural gas via steam gas reforming, and coal via coal gasification (grey hydrogen). Although hydrogen burns cleanly as a fuel at its point of use, producing it from fossil fuels without carbon capture only relocates emissions. Hence, to capitalize on hydrogen’s full environmental benefits, it must be produced from zero carbon electricity through water electrolysis, an electrochemical process that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen (green hydrogen). Currently, however, water electrolysis accounts for less than 0.1 % of global hydrogen production. For this reason, many governments are also considering the temporary use of blue hydrogen, for which the released CO2 is captured and then stored.

Hydrogen’s future global growth rate will be determined by two main factors: the competitiveness of its production costs and the availability of infrastructure. While the price of green hydrogen today is two to three times the price of grey hydrogen, economies of scale, government-driven carbon-pricing policies, and improved manufacturing processes will all reduce the cost delta and lead to more widespread green hydrogen use.

For decades, hydrogen has been primarily used by the chemical and refining industries in applications like the agricultural industry, the petroleum-refining industry, or in common industrial applications such as food, metalworking, welding, glass production, as a reducing and etching agent in electronics, or to create hydrogen peroxide in the medical industry. Newer hydrogen applications, like fuel cells or its use as a combustible fuel, open up new opportunities in transportation such as space exploration, aviation, heavy duty logistics, public transport, and even passenger cars. It is important to note, however, that these applications currently account for less than 10 % of global hydrogen consumption (Fig. 1).