Japanese technology company Asahi Kasei will exhibit its broad range of diversified material solutions at Fakuma 2024, the world's leading trade event for industrial plastics processing, from October 15-19 in Friedrichshafen, Germany. Highlights include polymer solutions for thermal management applications in EVs, a novel thermoplastic elastomer for improved recyclability of automotive interior parts, and a cellulose nanofiber composite for high-performance 3D printing.

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Asahi Kasei booth at Fakuma (Photo: Business Wire)

Asahi Kasei will present its materials and solutions in three different areas: “Compact & Safe EV Batteries,” “Improved Connectivity & Lightweighting,” and “Sustainable Material Life Cycle”.

At the battery island, the company will showcase the modified polyphenylene ether (mPPE) XYRON™. Featuring a high non-halogenic flame retardance and the lowest ion elution properties, this material is suitable for thermal management applications in EV batteries. At Fakuma, Asahi Kasei will also show multilayer cooling pipes that do not require an adhesive layer. These pipes are made of a composite of the company’s LEONA™ PA on the outside, and XYRON™ on the inside. This pipe offers excellent bending properties, hydrolysis resistance and low ion elution properties.

Solutions for improved connectivity and HMI

To meet the increasing demand for materials that boost the efficiency of 5G applications, Asahi Kasei is currently introducing new grades of its all-round material XYRON™ to the European and North American markets. The combination of PPE with other polymers such as polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) or polystyrene (PS) allows this family of high-performance compounds to feature low dielectric properties and a high non-halogenic flame retardance. Together with the Tokyo Institute of Technology, the company has created a prototype resin antenna utilizing a new XYRON™ grade. This grade offers high heat resistance and a stable, low linear expansion coefficient over a wide temperature range. This makes this material ideal for plating-on-plastics applications and metal replacement in components that require precision - like slotted waveguide array antennas.

From automotive head-up displays to head-mounted displays and smart glasses, the requirements towards weight and design of optical devices have been steadily increasing in recent years. The transparent polymer AZP™ features an almost zero birefringence and is overcoming the challenges of conventional transparent polymers in applications with polarizing light. Its superior processability compared to glass enables the large-scale production of injection-molded optical components that fulfill the demanding customer requirements.

Achieving a good balance between sustainability and functionality without sacrificing cost-competitiveness is a major issue for car manufacturers. To tackle this challenge, Asahi Kasei is currently developing a tailor-designed thermoplastic styrene block copolymer (SEBS) grade for automotive interior surfaces, which require good haptics and soft touch. Conventional approaches use different materials and production technologies for skin, foam, and core layers in automotive instrument panels, door panels, armrests or center consoles. The new SEBS material is suitable for both skin and foam layers, which can be molded in one step by utilizing a core back injection molding process.

The connection to the polypropylene (PP)-based core layer is possible in the same or separate injection molding step. The strong chemical bonding between all layers eliminates the need for additional adhesive layers. Asahi Kasei's new SEBS contributes to reducing the total number of materials, simplifying the manufacturing process, and improving the recyclability of interior components.

CNF-reinforced polyamide for 3D printing applications and PA66 recycling

Asahi Kasei will display a bio-based and biodegradable cellulose nano fiber (CNF). This material is made from cotton linter and features a high heat resistance and network-forming ability. CNF-reinforced polyamide shows a thixotropic behavior, making it highly suitable for 3D printing applications for easy printing, dimensional accuracy, smooth appearance, and mechanical performance. Furthermore, CNF has superior material recyclability compared to glass fibers.

The company will also present its comprehensive solutions for establishing a sustainable life cycle for PA66. In the field of chemical recycling for polyamide 66, the company works together with Japanese partner company Microwave Chemical. The process utilizes microwaves to depolymerize automotive airbags and other PA66 parts and directly obtain the monomers hexamethylenediamine (HMD) and adipic acid (ADA), which is expected to be accomplished at high yield with low energy consumption. The monomers obtained can then be used to manufacture new PA66.

In parallel, Asahi Kasei will introduce its development of a new solvent-based recycling process for the first time in Europe. By applying this dissolution recycling, high quality PA66 can be obtained from process scraps and used PCR materials, like airbags.

Asahi Kasei will exhibit in Hall B5, Booth 5319. For more information, visit the dedicated landing page: https://fakuma.asahi-kasei.eu/

About Asahi Kasei

The Asahi Kasei Group contributes to life and living for people around the world. Since its founding in 1922 with ammonia and cellulose fiber businesses, Asahi Kasei has consistently grown through the proactive transformation of its business portfolio to meet the evolving needs of every age. With more than 49,000 employees worldwide, the company contributes to a sustainable society by providing solutions to the world's challenges through its three business sectors of Material, Homes, and Health Care. Its Material sector, comprised of Environmental Solutions, Mobility & Industrial, and Life Innovation, includes a wide array of products from battery separators and biodegradable textiles to engineering plastics and sound solutions. For more information, visit https://www.asahi-kasei.com/.

Asahi Kasei is also dedicated to sustainability initiatives and is contributing to reaching a carbon-neutral society by 2050. To learn more, visit https://www.asahi-kasei.com/sustainability/.

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