“Recycling technology applied to automobiles”
- Realization of the study car project with recycling technology in collaboration with Hyundai
- Secure technology for end-to-end recycling, extending to clothing and electronics
Leading chemical and automotive companies are joining forces to advance the circular economy.
SEOUL, South Korea, December 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — SK Chemicals (CEO and Chairman Ahn Jae-hyun) announced that it has applied six automotive components made from circular recycling and bio-based materials to Kia’s EV3 study car in collaboration with Hyundai•Kia’s AVP division and Basic Materials Research Center ( hereinafter referred to as Hyundai•Kia).
The EV3 Study Car model tested the potential of applying environmentally friendly materials by recycling discarded resources and using materials of biological origin. It was unveiled at the HMC study car exhibition on November 13. Various materials and components companies, including SK Chemicals, participated in this project.
SK Chemicals recycled PET-based automotive components using circular recycling technology. Five components made from recycled PET were used: headliner, seats, crash pads, door panels and door armrests. Additionally, SK Chemicals’ new flexible material, FLEXIA, has been applied to the groundsheet to provide a unique polyester composition for easier recycling.
Circular recycling uses SK Chemicals’ proprietary chemical recycling technology, using depolymerization to break down plastic waste into molecular units. Depolymerization is a technology capable of producing products of almost identical quality to those made from petroleum-based materials. SK Chemicals was the first in the world to successfully commercialize it.
The recycled materials applied by SK Chemicals in this prototype car fall into the fiber category. Fibers face challenges in utilizing waste through physical recycling methods due to spinning limitations, difficulty in achieving desired colors, and insufficient durability for other fiber properties.
SK Chemicals and Hyundai•Kia collaborated for 14 months to achieve commercial-grade quality using circular recycling technology to meet the required material properties of each component.
Both companies see this project as laying the foundation for a new model to establish a circular economy system in the automotive industry. The companies plan to strengthen their collaboration to apply eco-friendly materials to automobiles.
Kang Seokho, Head of Recycling M&BD/Operations at SK Chemicals, said: “Achieving the ultimate goal of sustainable automobiles, the car-to-car closed loop, requires comprehensive collaboration not only with automakers, but also with manufacturers. materials and components. He added: “SK Chemicals will continue to strengthen its partnerships with automobile manufacturers, component manufacturers and material suppliers while also expanding into sectors such as fashion and electronics. »
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SOURCE SK Chemicals
