recycled content. The new materials are part of the company’s Trucircle portfolio of circular solutions and services and are the first of many Sabic resins to be introduced with mechanically recycled content for potential use in interior and exterior automotive applications, according to Abdullah Al-Otaibi, general manager, ETP & Market Solutions, Sabic.
The three new grades are designed to support various new automotive applications. The first is Sabic’s T2E-3320EH PP compound, characterised by stiffness, low emissions and high heat resistance for non-visible heating/ventilation/air conditioning (HVAC) components within the instrument panel and interior and under-the-hood parts. With a recycled content of 25 percent, its carbon footprint is up to 24 percent smaller than that of a comparable virgin PP compound according to an internal life cycle assessment.
Sabic’s XENOY T2NX2500UV resin, with 21 percent recycled PET provides excellent heat and impact performance, dimensional stability and low shrinkage for painted exterior body panels, spoilers, fuel filler doors and trim. It is also UV stabilised for potential use in unpainted applications. LCA data indicate that this grade lowers global warming potential (GWP) by 11 percent and cumulative energy demand (CED) by 12 percent versus virgin material.
The third new grade is XENOY T2NX5230 resin, containing 16 percent mineral reinforcement and 29 percent recycled PET. Its reinforcement delivers higher stiffness and a lower coefficient of linear thermal expansion compared to XENOY T2NX2500UV resin, making it a good candidate for roof spoilers and exterior trim. Both XENOY grades offer high flow for improved throughput.
“The new Trucircle materials support the automotive industry’s sustainability initiatives by providing an opportunity to extend the life of plastic waste and helping to increase value from post-consumer products,” said Al-Otaibi. The new products, he added, also may complement other types of sustainable materials, such as certified renewable products from bio-based content, which the company is also working on.
“It’s all part of Sabic’s strategy to accelerate towards a true circular economy.”