Next-Generation Recycled PP Compounds

Preparing for New Recycled Content Regulations

Designing and producing automotive plastic parts won’t be business as usual anymore. The new End of Life Vehicle Regulations now require integrating a fraction of recycled content: 15%, starting in 2032, rising to 25% 4 years later. Given the vehicle development lead time, the integration of solutions into new designs must be considered now.

Polypropylene compounds are widely used in vehicles for various interior and exterior applications, as well as in powertrain parts, either for ICE vehicles (e.g., ducts) or for BEVs (e.g., battery packs). The consumption of PP compounds in automobiles will steadily increase with the development of BEVs, making PP a primary target for developing recycled-based solutions.

Mechanical Recycling : the right balance of cost and performance

The recycled feedstock is also a clear choice for the future. Mechanical and chemical recycling processes offer different cost-performance ratios. Chemical recycling offers a stable and pollution-free solution but at a higher cost and with lower environmental performance due to higher energy consumption. Mechanical recycling, available as based on simple process, is offering lower cost and better environment performance but is subject to select feedstocks to achieve the expected and stable performance carefully: thermomechanical properties, emissions, color matching, impact resistance …

Compouding is the critical step to make possible such improvement and this is why Benvic, with a huge experience of bespoke compounds at controlled cost has developed capabilities to source, formulate and manufacture this new post consumer recycled based PP compound generation.

A Complete PCR PP Portfolio for Automotive Applications

The challenge is developing a base range capable of addressing major automotive use cases while remaining compliant with OEM expectations. Benvic went into this journey based on:

• Talc version 20% with 30% PCR minimum
• Talc version 40% with 20% PCR minimum
• Talc versions (5% to 20%) with high impact, with 25% PCR minimum, with UV and scratch resistance
• Glass fibre from 20% to 40% with 25% PCR minimum

Compliance with VOC and odour emissions in line with major OEM expectations is guaranteed, but other options are also possible: UV resistance, scratch resistance, heat stabilization, colour matching

Supporting a Smooth Transition to PCR

Our philosophy is not just to offer catalogue compounds but to enable customers to use them as a base to fine-tune them for their purposes. One major point concerns the conversion process, which is modulated by the material rheology. The first consequence is the ability to offer extrusion-grade in addition to injection-molding grade, but the primary target is to improve cycle time or adapt to existing moulds.

Indeed, the platformization of automotive components will mean that existing plastic parts must be eligible for PCR content. This ability to adapt MFI is a strong lever for avoiding or minimising transition costs to PCR.

Our range is now available and is delivered to many tier 1s for interior, exterior, and under-the-hood parts as a proven solution.

As we will be at the upcoming Fakuma in Friedrichshafen, please meet us on stand B3-3307 to share your project and evaluate our best solutions with our specialists.