Production of polyphenylene ether (PPE) using biomass-derived raw material
Düsseldorf, New York and Tokyo, 18 October 2022 – Asahi Kasei Plastics Singapore Pte Ltd (APS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Asahi Kasei, a diversified Japanese multinational company, acquired the widely recognized international certification ISCC PLUS1 for its polyphenylene ether (PPE) as a sustainable product on September 19, 2022. Production of PPE using biomass-derived raw material is scheduled to begin in January 2023.
PPE is an engineering plastic that is blended with other resins such as polystyrene and polyamide to form modified PPE (m-PPE). Asahi Kasei“s XYRON™ m-PPE is widely used in automotive parts, consumer electronics, and industrial products.
XYRON™ features several excellent characteristics which are expected to drive further demand growth especially in the field of the environment and energy. For example, leveraging its excellent electrical insulation and other electrical characteristics, XYRON™ is used in parts for photovoltaic power generation systems which operate at high voltage. These excellent properties also allow products to be made smaller, which contributes to resource conservation. XYRON™ is also used in components of batteries for electric vehicles (EVs), which are rapidly becoming widespread. Its low specific gravity and flame-retardancy allow batteries to be made lighter, which contributes to increased range and lower CO2 emissions.
As awareness for the global environment and the importance of sustainability increase, Asahi Kasei has worked to further raise the environmental contribution of XYRON™ m-PPE by using recycled raw material and biomass raw material.
Under these circumstances, Asahi Kasei and APS sought to reduce CO2 emissions across the supply chain for XYRON™ m-PPE, and in September 2022, APS became the first PPE manufacturer in Asia2 to acquire ISCC PLUS certification. The certification enables APS to produce and sell PPE using sustainable raw material assigned by the mass-balance method3. The production start is planned for January 2023.
In order to contribute to carbon neutrality, Asahi Kasei is developing recycled grades of XYRON™ m-PPE which are made using recycled material and working together with customers to establish a recycling scheme. PPE is a material suitable for recycling as its chemical structure has excellent hydrolysis resistance, which suppresses the deterioration of physical properties. Asahi Kasei also developed and patented technology to extend the service life of XYRON™ m-PPE, which further suppresses the deterioration of physical properties due to recycling. The Asahi Kasei Group aims to be a global sustainable partner for its customers by contributing to the reduction of waste and CO2 emissions through the assignment of biomass in the PPE of its XYRON™ m-PPE by the mass-balance method, the development of products utilizing recycled material, and the establishment of a recycling scheme together with its customers.
1 ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certificate) is an international certification system that offers solutions for the implementation and certification of waste and residue raw materials, non-bio renewables and recycled carbon materials and fuels. ISCC PLUS is a certification system that covers mainly bio-based carbon materials which are produced outside of the EU and supply globally, and to manage and ensure sustainable raw materials in the supply chain.
2 From the website in the ISCC as of October 11, 2022
3 In the case of a mixture of sustainable raw materials and fossil fuel-derived raw materials in the production process, the portion of sustainable product produced is assigned to certain products based on ISCC PLUS System Documents and its recognized management methods.
About the Asahi Kasei Corporation
The Asahi Kasei Group contributes to life and living for people around the world. Since its foundation 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 46,000 employees around the world, 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 Materials 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 www.asahi-kasei.com and https://www.asahi-kasei-plastics.com/en/ 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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About the Asahi Kasei Corporation
Asahi Kasei Corporation is a globally active diversified technology company with operations in the Material, Homes, and Health Care business sectors. The Material sector encompasses fibers & textiles, petrochemicals, performance polymers, performance materials, consumables, battery separators, and electronic devices. The Homes sector provides housing and construction materials to the Japanese market. The Health Care sector includes pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and acute critical care devices and systems. With more than 46,000 employees around the world, the Asahi Kasei Group serves customers in more than 100 countries and achieved sales of 18.9 billion euros (2,461 billion yen) in the fiscal year 2021 (April 1, 2021 – March 31, 2022).
Asahi Kasei is „Creating for Tomorrow“ with all operations sharing a common mission of contributing to life and living for people around the world. For more information, visit
www.asahi-kasei.eu, www.asahi-kasei.com and https://www.asahi-kasei.com/sustainability/
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