NPE Review Mitsubishi
NPE Review Mitsubishi Chemical Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) presented two applications for their a new grade of biobased engineering plastic DURABIO that can be applied to large automotive exterior components. One is a front grill of a Mazda vehicle and the other an interior door panel cover part. The biobased engineering plastic Durabio is made from isosorbide deriving from renewable plants. The material features superior properties compared to general biobased engineering plastics in terms of impact resistance, heat resistance and weathering, among other aspects. It also has good color-capability and, simply by adding pigments, creates a mirror-like smooth surface and deep color tone surpassing painted products with similar properties. China XD China XD Plastics Company Limited (Harbin, China), is a specialty chemical company. The Company is engaged in the research, development, manufacture and sale of modified plastics for automotive applications in China and to a lesser extent, in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE). On their big booth they also displayed different PLA grades and biocomposites. One example was an automotive dome light cover, made of PLA filled with talc. www.mcpp-global.com Automotive dome light cover (PLA/talc) 44 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/18] Vol. 13
New wood-based biocomposite Stora Enso (Stockholm & Helsinki) is launching its wood-based biocomposites, DuraSense. This is another major step on the group’s journey to replacing fossilbased materials with renewable solutions. DuraSense enables the use of renewable fibres, such as wood, to substitute for a large portion of fossil-based plastic. The production of biocomposites began in 2018 at Stora Enso’s Hylte Mill in Sweden, following the EUR 12 million investment announced in 2017. At full production, the mill’s annual production capacity is 15,000 tonnes, which is the largest capacity in Europe dedicated to wood fibre composites. “Reducing the amount of plastic and replacing it with renewable and traceable materials is a gradual process. With DuraSense, we can offer customers a wood fibre-based alternative which improves sustainability performance and, depending on the product, significantly reduces the carbon footprint – all the way up to 80%,” says Jari Suominen, Head of Wood Products at Stora Enso. The DuraSense product family is suitable for a wide range of applications from consumer goods to industrial applications. Typical applications include, for example, furniture, pallets, hand tools, automotive parts, beauty and lifestyle products, toys and items, such as kitchen utensils and bottle caps, among other uses. The DuraSense granules are a combination of natural wood fibres, polymers and additives offering the mouldability of plastic with the sustainability and workability of wood. With DuraSense, it is also possible to combine fibres with recycled or bio-based polymers to further enhance environmental values. For example, DuraSense Eco100, which is one of the product grades and based on wood fibres and biopolymers, is a costcompetitive way to fully replace fossil-based plastics. “Affordable sustainability and the environment are climbing upwards on consumer agendas,” says Patricia Oddshammar, Head of Biocomposites at Stora Enso. “DuraSense can reduce the consumption of plastic materials by up to 60%, ensuring less microplastics end up in the environment. Stora Enso’s biocomposites can be reused as a material up to seven times or or recycled along with other plastic materials or, alternatively, used for energy recovery at their end of life.” MT www.storaenso.com Join us at the 13th European Bioplastics Conference – the leading business forum for the bioplastics industry. 4/5 December 2018 Titanic Chaussee Hotel Berlin, Germany REGISTER NOW! EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT UNTIL 30 JUNE 2018 @EUBioplastics #eubpconf www.european-bioplastics.org/events For more information email: conference@european-bioplastics.org bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/18] Vol. 13 45
