Technological watch

Avient Corporation launches several new post-consumer recycled (PCR) and post-industrial recycled (PIR) portfolios under the reSound™ R brand name. As consumer demand for more sustainable, eco-friendly products grows along with regulatory pressure, reSound R recycled content formulations can help brand owners deliver on their sustainability goals. Launching are reSound R VX TPEs, reSound R ND polyamides, and reSound R PC polycarbonates.
Recycled-content TPEs and Polyamides
Available in North America, injection-moldable reSound R VX TPEs utilize 25 percent (PCR) and up to 40 percent (PIR) recycled content, and both grades can be overmolded onto polypropylene (PP). The PCR grade is formulated with recycled ocean plastics from Oceanworks®, an accelerator program participant within the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, a non-profit group that includes Avient as a founding member. These TPE grades, formulated for consumer applications, can be used in personal care products, lawn and garden tools, outdoor goods, office supplies, footwear, and houseware durables.
In addition, Avient is expanding its polyamide portfolio to include reSound R ND with post-consumer content. These nylon formulations contain 100 percent PCR resin and are available in both PA6 and PA66 grades with various levels of glass fiber and mineral reinforcements. These products are targeted at applications in the consumer, automotive and powersports markets.
TPEs, as well as recycled nylon 6 and 66, are commercially available in North America. Global availability is under evaluation and will depend on regional sourcing capabilities.
Recycled-content Glass-filled Polycarbonates
For the Asia market, Avient now offers reSound R PC, a range of polycarbonates with glass filler levels from 10 to 30 percent and recycled content ranging from 25 to 75 percent. Several grades in this portfolio perform on par with virgin PC in terms of tensile elongation, tensile strength, notched Izod impact, flexural modulus and flexural strength. Available currently in Asia only, global availability is under evaluation, again dependent on regional sourcing capabilities.
“Avient is committed to enabling our customer’s goals to advance a circular economy through material science,” commented Walter Ripple, vice president, Sustainability at Avient. “These new additions to our reSound portfolio are an excellent example of the way we continue to invest in and expand these sustainable solutions.”