Due to the environmental protection of bio-based materials, leading enterprises in various fields have begun to develop bio-based materials from the perspective of environmental protection and brand image to realize the replacement of petroleum-based materials. Next, let's take a look at the bio-based products launched by these international brands.
Volvo: Electric cars will use bio-based materials instead of animal leather
Volvo said that as a traditionally established automaker, the company has been accelerating its electrification transition in recent years to achieve carbon neutrality. Volvo's latest pure electric car C40 RECHARGE no longer uses leather as an interior material. At this stage, it uses Nordico (a new environmentally friendly interior material independently created by Volvo) to replace cowhide, and promises that all pure electric vehicles in the future will not use leather. Going back to animal leather, a leather-free material will soon be available on all Volvo electric cars. For example, the Nordico material used in the interior door panels, a new material created by Volvo, is made from recycled PET bottles, biomaterials from sustainable forests in Sweden and Finland, and cork stoppers recovered from the wine industry.
Significantly increase the proportion of recycled and bio-based materials in vehicles by 2025, including 25% recycled or bio-based plastics, 40% recycled aluminum, and 25% recycled steel. Only pure electric vehicles will be sold by 2030. In other words, Volvo will completely get rid of the shackles of leather products and use recycled materials to achieve sustainable development goals. It is worth mentioning that in May this year, Volvo built its first carbon-neutral car factory in Sweden.
SABIC: Introduces new LNP™ ELCRES™ FST bio-based resin for train seats
Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) has introduced four new LNP™ ELCRES™ FST copolymer resins that meet European railway standard EN45545 R6-HL 2 for use in train seats. Not only do these resins meet new regulatory requirements, but they also offer more opportunities to create stylish seating designs.
Compared to thermoset resins and aluminum, the new ELCRES resins offer lighter weight and efficient processability without the need for secondary operations. To achieve a seamless aesthetic appearance in one-piece seating units or designs with separate rear shells, SABIC offers precise color matching for its extrusion grade (LNP ELCRES FST2732E resin) and injection molding grade (LNP ELCRES FST2432 resin).
SABIC's bio-based extrusion and injection molding grades were developed to extend the sustainability benefits of LNP ELCRES FST materials even further. LNP ELCRES FST2732EB (extrusion) and LNP ELCRES FST2432B (injection molding) products contain 55% renewable raw materials derived from crude tall oil and other waste.
Both are potential solutions that offer the same high performance and legality as petroleum-based resin grades. Carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent analysis by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) shows that these bio-based resins have a 33% reduction in carbon emissions compared to petroleum-based products.
IKEA: Introducing biodegradable packaging made from mushrooms
Aware of the environmental damage caused by polystyrene, IKEA is looking to use biodegradable mycelium 'mushroom wraps' as part of its efforts to reduce waste and increase recycling.
American Eco is responsible for developing this alternative to Styrofoam. So-called "mushroom wraps" are obtained by growing mycelium around clean agricultural waste, such as corn stover or chaff. Within a few days, the fungal fibers bind the waste together into a solid shape. It is then dried to prevent further growth. This clever, eco-friendly packaging is truly a revolutionary invention and one that IKEA wants to capitalize on.
IKEA UK sustainability director Joanna Yarrow told the media that IKEA is working to gradually replace existing polystyrene plastic with "mushroom packaging", as many products traditionally made of polystyrene cannot easily be used. Recycled or not recycled at all. Mushroom packaging, on the other hand, can be disposed of by simply throwing it into the garden, where it will biodegrade within a few weeks.
Mitsubishi Chemical: The bio-based engineering plastic DURABIO has been used in the production of new models of Suzuki Motor Corporation.
Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Group (MCHG) announced that its bio-based engineering plastic DURABIO has been used in the production of the front grille of Suzuki Motor Corporation's new model S-CROSS. According to reports, DURABIO is made of isosorbide from renewable plant sources and is a bio-based engineering plastic. Compared with traditional engineering plastics, it has very good properties, including impact resistance, weather resistance and heat resistance.
In addition, the plastic does not require painting and coating processes due to its hard and scratch-resistant surface, which reduces VOC emissions during production.
