Consumer Electronics Eco
Consumer Electronics Eco Friendly Objects Over the last 19 years, Lexon Design from Boulogne Billancourt, France became the world leader of design objects with over 1,000 original creations. They have brought numerous innovations into the areas of office and travel gift objects, by introducing new materials, shapes and concepts. The LEXON 2010 collection is steeped in environmental concerns while maintaining a diversity and a fantasy related to their objects. The term ECO FRIENDLY by LEXON is born from the design and Lexon’s commitment to meet the best vision possible to the environment. “The planet is our playground. To keep it accessible to all and for a long time, we must change our habits, efforts, evolve”, says Lexon’s website. And they do this by using specific materials particularly in the eco-design of their products. ECO FRIENDLY by LEXON is thus coupled to offer materials requiring less energy to manufacture, which are bio degradable, or to offer objects that use muscle power or solar energy as a power source. Consumer Electronics Some examples of consumer electronics by Lexon fulfilling these requirements are these: The LA 81 SAFE radio is muscle powered by a crank. Two minutes workout give 30 minutes of music. The material is bamboo fiber filled PLA. Made from the same material is the desktop calculator LC69 SAFE as well as the alarm clock LR 117 SAFE. The clock is also available as LR 118 SAFE large clock and LR 119 SAFE wall clock. Tha last example from Lexons 2010 catalogue is LL 99 SAFE, a solar energy powered flashlight with 3 superbright LEDs also made from bamboo/PLA. Materials Why did Lexon decide in favour of Bamboo and PLA? Bamboo is a virtually inexhaustible resource. It can grow everywhere and adapts to all climates. Furthermore, it grows quickly. Bamboo is a more rapidly renewable natural raw material and offers many technical advantages that make an ecological and future product. And the advantages of PLA, being a plastic resin from renewable raw materials, in this case corn stach, are well known. MT www.lexon-design.com 32 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/10] Vol. 5
Consumer Electronics Stay in Touch – Naturally Communication technology has developed rapidly over the last years and will continue to show strong growth: For 2010, experts are forecasting sales of 1.4 billion mobile phones. In the light of these quantities and the very short life expectancy of these products, the selection of sustainable materials is gaining enormous importance in this sector. Along with the latest technology, a fresh and modern design is an important market strength, or even the main purchasing incentive. Mobile phones are advancing to become lifestyle products which are replaced as soon as newer models are available. From a statistical point of view, the leading manufacturers in the mobile phone market introduce a new model onto the market each week. Faced with the correspondingly high demand for plastic materials, sustainability is also playing an increasingly important role – even more, it is a key requirement specifically for mobile phones throughout the world. Based on high oil prices and an increasing awareness of environmental protection, a fundamental rethinking is occurring with both consumers and manufacturers. This is fuelled by the necessity of protecting non-renewable energy sources. EMS- GRIVORY is reacting to this trend with the development and expansion of a completely new product series: GreenLine! Polyamides from renewable raw materials GreenLine incorporates bio-based polyamides which are excellently suited for the manufacture of mobile phones. All products in the GreenLine product family are manufactured partially or completely from renewable raw materials. GreenLine polyamides are based on renewable raw materials which are not otherwise used for food. Ems-Grivory has developed a ‘green alternative’ which can immediately replace 1:1 conventional high-performance plastics used in the manufacture of mobile phones. The GreenLine portfolio Reinforced Grilamid 1S is exceptionally well suited for the manufacture of stiff covers. Non-reinforced, amorphous grades can be used in injection-moulding processes for overspraying metal films, as they have extremely high resistance to stress cracking and very good flowability. Grilamid BTR is a special amorphous, transparent polyamide which can be used to make windows, while a partially biobased PPA – Grivory HT3 – can be used for plug connectors. Today’s mobile phones must provide numerous functions, be really stylish, robust and as thin as possible – a requirement catalogue which cannot be satisfied using conventional plastic materials. This is where the high-performance plastics from Ems-Grivory step into the breach. They provide not only resistance to chemicals but also thermal stability and the necessary impact strength while allowing the desired freedom of design – the GreenLine product line handles these requirements just as easily as petroleum-based polyamides made by Ems-Grivory. www.emsgrivory.com bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/10] Vol. 5 33
