DSM NV said its Arnitel Eco material can now be made with up to 73 percent bio-based content, thanks to a new butanediol deal with Genomatica Inc.
Frederic Petit, sustainability, communication and branding director at DSM, said the company is currently testing materials made with Genomatica's bio-based BDO. The bio source is currently rapeseed oil but Genomatica can use a variety of different raw materials, he said.
"Arnitel Eco is continuously evolving and now 73 percent can be bio-based, depending on the hardness of the materials," he said.
At K, DSM (Hall 6.1/N4) also is showing its Eco Paxx 410 material, which is derived from castor oil grown in India.
"This polymer was launched at the last K show but has now been commercialized with a lot of customers," Petit said.
On the stand DSM is showing a Volkswagen crank shaft cover, developed with Kaco, which is 45 percent lighter than aluminum, has tight tolerances and is chemically resistant to oil. Another automotive application is the engine cover for the Mercedes A class car which, according to Petit, provides better temperature resistance and aesthetics.
Eco Paxx can also be used for non-automotive applications, for example sunglasses, which were designed by Italian company Nannini, and food packaging, made by development partner MF Fobien.
According to Petit, one of the major differences between K 2010 and K 2013 is the shift, in terms of bioplastics in any case, from biodegradable materials, to bio-based durable materials which can often be recycled at end of life.
"At the last K there was lots of PLA, now there are bio polyamides," he said.