Evonik at CHINAPLAS 2024: sustainable solutions for a circular economy

• Evonik’s latest solutions in high-performance polymers and specialty additives focus on enabling greater circularity
• Themes on display include solutions with circular plastics, green energy, smart mobility, healthy living and additive manufacturing
• CHINAPLAS 2024 will be held on April 23-26 at National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), Evonik booth: C31, Hall 7.2

Evonik, a globally leading specialty chemicals company, will present its latest sustainable polymer and additive solutions for the rubber and plastics industries at CHINAPLAS 2024. These solutions especially contribute to the circular economy in various value chains.

Circular economy is a new type of economic model that fosters economic growth by improving resource utilization, reducing resource consumption, and mitigating pollution emissions. According to the 14th Five-Year Plan for Circular Economy issued by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China is poised to build a resource recycling-based industrial system to boost the efficiency of resource utilization. In the Plan, it is estimated that, by 2025, the output value of China's resource recycling industry will reach RMB 5 trillion.

Evonik launched the Circular Economy Program in 2023. The company wants to further strengthen its activities with additives and specialties for the circular economy. At the same time, Evonik intends to make greater use of fossilized raw materials based on recycled materials, biomass and CO₂. The company also continues to develop its own technologies for closing the loop.

Fuliang Xia, president of Evonik Greater China, remarked: "The Circular Economy Program is key to achieving sustainable growth while balancing economic, ecological, and social benefits. As China is promoting the circular economy, we aspire to play an active role in that respect. With our innovation capabilities in specialty chemicals and commitment to sustainability, we are able to support our customers in the transition to circular applications."

Under the theme of “WE GO BEYOND FOR A CIRCULAR ECONOMY”, Evonik will present its rich product portfolio and competencies through five sections, including circular plastics, green energy, smart mobility, healthy living and additive manufacturing.

Alternative materials and material recycling solutions for polyamide 12

Utilizing renewable materials and fully exploring the value of material recycling are crucial to the circular economy. As a global leader in polyamide 12 (PA12) manufacturing and the inventor of PA12, Evonik has been optimizing its product portfolio and expanding applications for the past six decades. Against the backdrop of the circular economy, Evonik is actively working to reduce the carbon footprint of its products and cooperating with partners to enable the recyclability of PA12. Evonik's sustainable product portfolio includes PA12 produced from renewable and recycled materials, polyamide produced using renewable energy, and bio-based polyamides based on castor oil. As for material recycling, Evonik is exploring the  mono-material approach. At this event, Evonik will present a concept car seat of 100% VESTAMID® polyamide. Being entirely made of one plastic group, this seat showcases that design for recycling is possible for complex articles. 

Boost plastics recycling

The plastics industry holds a key role in the circular economy, and the transformation of this sector will facilitate circular economy. To promote the recycling of plastics, Evonik has introduced a diverse range of additives under the brand name TEGO® Cycle to help its customers improve process and increase the final quality of recycled plastics. During the wet stage, Evonik's antifoams & wetting agents can be used to make washing, separation, deinking & drying processes more efficient and help to significantly reduce energy. Additionally, during compounding (dry stage) Evonik's odor absorbers, compatibilizers, dispersants & processing aids help to improve processing and enhance polymer properties, leading to more competitive costs and a much higher quality of recycled plastic content. In addition to the TEGO® Cycle products, Evonik also introduces the organo-modified siloxane-based TEGOMER Polymer Processing Aids (PPA) for converters looking to replace standard PPAs made from fluoroelastomers in PE and PP processing.

Enable the production of renewable energies

The circular economy encourages the use of renewable energies as it cuts down the consumption of resources. A range of high-performance materials from Evonik enables the production of renewable energies, including hydrogen and biomass energy. For example, Evonik's polyamide 12 VESTAMID® NRG offers high chemical resistance and excellent mechanical properties. Thanks to its superior hydrogen compatibility and low hydrogen permeability, it is used in various hydrogen applications such as hydrogen transportation pipelines and storage tanks, providing a safer and more efficient material solution for the hydrogen storage and transportation industry. Furthermore, SEPURAN® membranes can be used in the separation and purification of gases such as methane and hydrogen.

Drive sustainable transformation across industries

Extending the lifespan of products through the use of sustainable and efficient solutions also promotes the circular economy. Today, various Evonik products are contributing to different value chains. They enhance the quality and sustainable benefits of end products and thus pave the way for circular economy.

Evonik is committed to providing high-performance specialty chemical solutions for the automotive industry and is expanding the application of traditional sustainable solutions in new energy vehicles. Evonik's PA12 has been widely applied in the manufacture of automotive fuel lines, and now also of cooling lines, H₂ fuel lines, high-voltage electrical busbars of new energy vehicles, meeting the thermal and power management needs of new energy vehicles.

VESTAKEEP® PEEK is distinguished by the material properties such as high corrosion resistance, high abrasion resistance, high rigidity, low weight, and versatile processing for higher system durability and lower manufacturing costs. Thanks to these properties, PEEK is suitable for the manufacturing of durable components for semiconductors, cables, filament and film production, oil exploration, the automotive and aerospace industries, mechanical engineering, food and drinking water applications, medical technology, among others.

SPHERILEX® 30 AB and SPHERILEX® 60 AB are the new antiblocking agents for high clarity polymer films. With product properties of spherical particle shape, controlled particle size, and narrow particle size distribution, the products offer significant benefits for application as an antiblocking agent in various plastics films. SIPERNAT® precipitated silica, AEROSIL® fumed silica, and AEROXIDE® fumed metal oxide additives offer benefits such as free flow and anti caking that optimize plastic processing.

Visit the Evonik booth at Hall 7.2 C31 of National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) Shanghai on April 23-26 or follow the Evonik WeChat account for more information.