New bio-based polyamide range from Evonik
15/08/2012
The polyamides Evonik is using to make the Vestamid Terra product family come fully or partially from the castor oil plant and commercially available chopped rayon fibres from wood residues form the products’ reinforcing fibre substrate.
Reinforcing fibres, particularly chopped fibreglass, are often mixed into a plastic to improve its mechanical properties. But in the case of bio-based polymers this means that the bio-content is lowered, reducing “the ecological advantage”, Evonik explained at the time of the launch. The use of natural fibres, on the other hand, has so far resulted in what it refers to as “significant deterioration of reinforcing potential, and also an unpleasant odour in the end product”.
It believes that Vestamid Terra will offer customers a good alternative with an overall bio-content of between 67% and 100% and, compared to fibreglass reinforced systems, a “significantly improved carbon balance”.
At the time of the lauch, Evonik’s business manager for biopolymers, Dr Benjamin Brehmer, said: “With this product development, we want to support the expansion of bio-based products in technically demanding applications for our customers.”
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