Friedrichshafen, 17 October 2023 – Today, on the opening day of Fakuma 2023 in Friedrichshafen, Germany, Celanese Corporation ((Hall B4, booth 4200) announced the commercial introduction of several new engineering thermoplastic solutions that the company claims combine excellent material properties with an enhanced sustainability performance.
The new products are part of Celanese’s Eco-R range of materials, in which ‘R’ indicates that they feature a certain percentage of post-industrial or post- consumer recycled content, while still maintaining consistency and quality. The aim, said Celanese, is to provide manufacturers with more sustainable options - ultimately across its full portfolio of materials.
Celanese’s latest offerings on display here at the show include Santoprene TPV Eco-R, Celanex PBT Eco-R and Tecnoprene PP Eco-R.
As a thermoplastic vulcanizate, Santoprene TPV performs like thermoset rubber, yet offers the processability and the recyclability of a thermoplastic. TPV have increasingly found application in a plethora of sectors, including the automotive, consumer goods, building and construction, and other industries. By incorporating post-consumer recyclate into the formulations, Celanese has further enhanced the sustainability credentials of the material. The first two grades, with a minimum of approximately 15% or 25% PCR, respectively, are already available. Use of these formulations can reduce carbon emissions by up to 59%, compared to a similar part made with EPDM rubber, Celanese has estimated. Manufacturers of products ranging from automotive weather seals, and EV cooling lines to children's toys, garden hoses and much more, have expressed interest in the new TPVs.
The new Eco-R PBT/PET blends marketed by Celanese under the Celanex name contain a minimum of 25% PET derived from post-consumer recyclate yet continue to offer excellent mechanical properties. The materials are highly suitable for automotive applications - junction bars, air vents and windshield wipers are three potential components - and consumer goods, opening the door for manufacturers to choose more sustainable options.
The third product, Tecnoprene PP Eco-R, has been commercialised in North America and Europe. These grades, with an estimated minimum of 30% recycled content by weight, were developed to provide automotive application manufacturers with a sustainable offering that still meets the performance characteristics of standard PP compounds. Manufacturers of parts such as tailgates, spoilers, cooling modules and other automotive components are opting to produce parts made with these new PP Eco-R grades.
Partnership is key to drive progress towards a low-carbon and circular economy,” said Steffi Götzel, the global sustainability leader at Celanese Engineered Materials.
“That`s why the biggest impact we can make is to work with our customers and the value chain to develop sustainable solutions that are both good for business and the environment."