Paul Boughton
DSM Engineering Plastics is launching Arnitel Eco, a bio-based, high-performance thermoplastic copolyester (TPC) with a 20 per cent to 50 per cent content derived from renewable resources. These renewable resources are made from rapeseed oil, grown in areas where there is no competition with food crops.
Arnitel Eco is designed to last a long lifetime under extreme conditions, making it highly suitable for use in automotive interior and exterior components, as well as applications in sports and leisure, furniture, consumer electronics and alternative energy.
Arnitel Eco is the latest addition to the Arnitel family of copolyesters that combine the strength and processing characteristics of engineering plastics with the performance of thermoset elastomers. The materials are claimed to perform well or even outperform conventional rubbers.
Francis Aussems, project manager for bio-polyesters at DSM Engineering Plastics, says: "There is a clear customer need for bio-based engineering plastics which combine performance with a reduced carbon footprint. Life Cycle Assessment calculations of Arnitel Eco show a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, cradle-to-gate, of up to 50 per cent versus oil-based thermoplastic copolyesters. Our longstanding experience in Arnitel product development and our flexible manufacturing base enable us to bring Arnitel Eco to the market today."
In addition to its lower carbon footprint, Arnitel Eco adds value thanks to its performance: Arnitel Eco offers exceptional resistance to UV light and long-term heat exposure. DSM Engineering Plastics says it will continue to build on the specific property potential of Arnitel Eco and will, in time, expand its portfolio further to address the specific needs of partners in the various industry sectors served.
Arnitel Eco is available in a hardness range from 40 to 70 Shore D in both injection moulding and extrusion viscosities.
Fredric Petit, sustainability director at DSM EP, adds: "After the successful launches of Ecopaxx and Palapreg Eco, Arnitel Eco is the next bio-performance material of DSM and this is fully in line with DSM's mission to 'create brighter lives for people today and generations to come'. This mission is supported by DSM's core value, which states that its activities should contribute to a more sustainable world."
For more information, visit www.dsmep.com
Arnitel Eco is designed to last a long lifetime under extreme conditions, making it highly suitable for use in automotive interior and exterior components, as well as applications in sports and leisure, furniture, consumer electronics and alternative energy.
Arnitel Eco is the latest addition to the Arnitel family of copolyesters that combine the strength and processing characteristics of engineering plastics with the performance of thermoset elastomers. The materials are claimed to perform well or even outperform conventional rubbers.
Francis Aussems, project manager for bio-polyesters at DSM Engineering Plastics, says: "There is a clear customer need for bio-based engineering plastics which combine performance with a reduced carbon footprint. Life Cycle Assessment calculations of Arnitel Eco show a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, cradle-to-gate, of up to 50 per cent versus oil-based thermoplastic copolyesters. Our longstanding experience in Arnitel product development and our flexible manufacturing base enable us to bring Arnitel Eco to the market today."
In addition to its lower carbon footprint, Arnitel Eco adds value thanks to its performance: Arnitel Eco offers exceptional resistance to UV light and long-term heat exposure. DSM Engineering Plastics says it will continue to build on the specific property potential of Arnitel Eco and will, in time, expand its portfolio further to address the specific needs of partners in the various industry sectors served.
Arnitel Eco is available in a hardness range from 40 to 70 Shore D in both injection moulding and extrusion viscosities.
Fredric Petit, sustainability director at DSM EP, adds: "After the successful launches of Ecopaxx and Palapreg Eco, Arnitel Eco is the next bio-performance material of DSM and this is fully in line with DSM's mission to 'create brighter lives for people today and generations to come'. This mission is supported by DSM's core value, which states that its activities should contribute to a more sustainable world."
For more information, visit www.dsmep.com
