Sabic enters marine plastic chemical recycling, PET becomes PBT
Ocean plastic is a mismanaged waste that originates within 30 miles (50 kilometers) of the coast and is likely to end up in the ocean. The new grade is the latest addition to Sabic's broad portfolio of chemically upcycled LNP Elcrin iQ materials, helping to support circularity while serving as a potential replacement for virgin PBT resins. LNP Elcrin WF0061BiQ resin is a candidate material for consumer electronics applications such as fan housings in computers and car seats, as well as electrical connectors and housings. "
We are continuously expanding our LNP Elcrin iQ portfolio - and the PET waste streams used to produce these materials - to help divert more plastic from the ocean, while helping our customers incorporate recycled materials into their products, achieve their carbon neutrality goals and meet consumer demands for greater sustainability,” said Sanjay Mishra, Sabic Specialty Technology and Footprint Universal Technology and Footprint.
The new LNP Elcrin WF0061BiQ grade is a glass fiber reinforced PBT material with bromine- and chlorine-free flame retardancy, UL94 V0 rated at 0.8 mm and F1 rating. It also has excellent heat resistance, toughness and stiffness, and high flow properties, making it ideal for molding thin-wall applications in outdoor environments, such as electrical equipment enclosures.
All LNP Elcrin iQ materials can serve as potential replacements for conventional PBT to help manufacturers improve the sustainability of end products. Sabic's proprietary upcycling technology, which involves the repolymerization of PET in the ocean into PBT, provides properties similar to the virgin material. This process surpasses mechanical recycling in quality and consistency. "
According to an internal life cycle analysis conducted according to the ISO 14040/14044 protocol, the LNP Elcrin WF0061BiQ compound can reduce the carbon footprint by up to 14% and the cumulative energy requirement by up to 25% compared to virgin PBT composites reinforced with glass fibers," Darpan Parikh, head of customer fulfillment in the Americas for Sabic Specialty Products, said.
"By replacing virgin materials with our resins, customers can help reduce their environmental impact by reusing plastic waste and eliminating halogenated additives."
