Chemicals producer SABIC, has launched ‘LNP ELCRIN WF0051iQ’, a compound featuring thin-wall, non-brominated/non-chlorinated flame retardance (FR). It is the newest addition to the company’s growing family of sustainable iQ resins. The company believes it is well suited for electrical applications. The new grade will increase SABIC’s already significant diversion of post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) water bottles, which are chemically upcycled into polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) resin. At the end of 2022, the company had already diverted 400 million 0.5-liter bottles through its iQ upcycling technology.
SABIC
Joshua Chiaw, Director, Business Management, LNP & NORYL, Specialties, SABIC said: “LNP ELCRIN WF0051iQ compound can offer the electrical industry a novel solution that can significantly improve sustainability while delivering tailored performance properties that are essential for ever-smaller and more-powerful components. This portfolio expansion has the potential to help accelerate the diversion of discarded, single-use water bottles to avoid landfilling and ocean contamination. Chemical upcycling is an important part of our overall net-zero strategy.”
Smaller Carbon Footprint
According to the company, compared to standard, fossil-based virgin PBT resin, LNP ELCRIN WF0051iQ compound’s carbon footprint is 11 percent less. This reduction is due, primarily, to the incorporation of 39 0.5-liter PET water bottles in each kilogram of LNP ELCRIN WF0051iQ compound, representing a minimum of 27 percent of the content. SCS Global Services (SCS) has audited and provided independent verification that the manufacturing processes for LNP ELCRIN iQ compounded resins adhere to the SCS Recycled Content Standard, and that the supply chain meets criteria for responsible sourcing including social, environmental, health and safety requirements (Certified Green Products Guide | SCS Global Services). This process conserves natural resources.
SABIC claims that beyond the reuse of waste plastic, LNP ELCRIN WF0051iQ compound can offer additional sustainability benefits. For example, the ability to design thin walls with this compound helps reduce the consumption of fossil-based raw materials, and the FR formulation helps avoid the use of bromine and chlorine, two semi-volatile organic compounds that are linked to health and environmental risks.
The desirable combination of thin-wall FR, long-term property retention and glass fibre reinforcement for stiffness and high flow to enable complex geometries makes LNP ELCRIN WF0051iQ compound well suited for miniaturized electrical components such as connectors, switches and sockets. The product is available in custom colours.
High Performance for Electrical Applications
SABIC believes that the new resin is the first LNP ELCRIN iQ compound to meet the UL94 V0 standard for fire resistance at 0.4 mm and has received a Yellow Card listing under the UL Plastics Recognition Program for the signature sustainability green colour. The material’s relative thermal index (RTI) is 130°C at 0.4 mm, and the comparative tracking index (CTI) is 2, contributing to safety and reduced material requirements that can lower the cost of tooling and accelerate time to market. Complementing these exceptional performance properties are many processability benefits, including high flow for fast throughput, and low abrasion properties, compared to alternatives.
Luc Govaerts, Technology Director, Specialties, SABIC said: “With our cross-functional expertise, we fast-tracked the development of this novel thin-wall, non-Br/Cl Flame retardant LNP ELCRIN WF0051iQ compound in order to extend the sustainability benefits of this unique resin family to more customers as soon as possible. This effort underscores our strong commitment to meeting the needs of the electrical industry for specialized materials to enable new designs and advanced technologies.”