CB BureauThe specialty chemicals company is increasingly using bio-based or recycled raw materials in its plastics production.
A new variant of the composite Tepex is 100 per cent based on the biological raw materials flax and polylactic acid. ‘We have combined fabrics made from the natural flax fibres with bio-based polylactic acid as a matrix material, and thereby developed a composite manufactured entirely from natural resources. We are now able to produce it to a level of quality suitable for large-scale production,’ explains Stefan Seidel, head of Tepex Research and Development at LANXESS.
The extremely strong material is suitable for use in sports articles, in the production of automotive interior parts, and in electronics for case components. LANXESS produces the composite at its site in Brilon, Germany.
Tepex can be recycled completely. After its use, the product can be shredded and easily processed into new plastic.
LANXESS also relies on sustainable raw materials for its polyamide-6 plastics, Durethan. In the latest product, 92 per cent of the raw materials have been replaced by sustainable alternatives; the long-term plan is to increase the proportion to 100 per cent.
The sustainable origin of the raw materials is certified according to the rules of ISCC Plus (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification’), using the mass balance approach. This method compares the quantities of raw materials used with the quantities of products produced and creates an accounting link between input and output, similar to the purchase of green power.
LANXESS uses ‘green’ cyclohexane from sustainable sources such as rapeseed oil or other biomass as raw material. The high-performance plastic is also reinforced with 60 per cent by weight of glass fibres recycled from industrial glass waste.
The alternative raw materials are chemically identical to their equivalents of fossil origin. Therefore, the plastic has the same properties as its fossil-based counterpart.
In the future, LANXESS will add ‘Scopeblue’ to its most sustainable products. The brand label marks products that either consist of at least 50 per cent circular (recycled or bio-based) raw materials or whose carbon footprint is at least 50 per cent lower than the one of conventional products.