Nicola, Head of Strategic Marketing, Clariant Additives
Lelli commented: “We are working closely with the automotive value chain to validate our advanced plastic additive technologies and drive their focus on weight optimisation, sustainable, recyclable materials and CO2 reduction alongside performance and safety needs. We Looking forward to new collaborations with K 2022 visitors around our flame retardants and high-performance additives, unlocking the potential of electric vehicles for the industry’s sustainable transformation in design and production.”

Support for sustainable EV plastics includes new applications of Clariant’s trusted halogen-free flame retardants in solutions based on polyamides and thermoplastics, now also available through ISCC
Plus certified renewable raw material based options to reduce reliance on fossil carbon and improve product CO2 emissions. These are certified products belonging to the “Terra” family, offering manufacturers a similar alternative.

Flame retardants with lower greenhouse gas emissions for faster charging scenarios

The trend to charge at higher voltages for faster charging is creating demand for battery and charging infrastructure materials with higher tracking resistance and flame retardancy.

Manufacturers of high voltage connectors, busbars or battery housings can now use the new Exolit® OP 1400
Terra, Clariant’s patented, widely used halogen-free flame retardant for polyamides, helps the industry achieve its goals for faster charging and lower greenhouse gas emitting materials. Exolit OP
Terra enables polyamide materials to pass stringent fire safety standards such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 94 V0 and according to IEC 60112 / ASTMD
3638 standard 600V relative tracking index (CTI).

EcoTain® certified Exolit produced at Clariant ISCC PLUS certified facility in Knapsack, Germany
OP solutions are available as mass balance certified products. Like its fossil carbon-based counterparts, Terra grades have little impact on the recyclability of the material, thus technically supporting proper automotive waste management, with the added benefit of reducing CO2 footprints. Clariant is currently building a new production facility in Daya Bay, China, to meet the rapidly growing demand for electric vehicles and electrical and electronic components and equipment in China and Asia.

Using sustainable flame retardant thermoset composites to make lightweight battery housings

Exolit AP halogen-free flame retardants are driving the transition from metals to low-density, high-strength thermoset composites for lighter battery housings that meet the stringent fire safety standards for electric vehicles.
Batteries require special protection in the event of a vehicle fire or battery thermal runaway.

Clariant offers three grades of additives – Exolit AP 462, AP 740 and AP 742 – to enable epoxy or unsaturated polyester based composites to comply with ECE R100 and GB
38031-2020 Flame Retardant Standard.

Optimize plastic products to maximize electric vehicle range and end-of-life vehicle recycling

Meet the Clariant team at K to discuss optimising key vehicle plastic components such as PP rear bumpers, PP interior trim such as instrument panels and door panels, and various engineering plastic components to extend electric vehicle range and support Recycling and sustainability goals for end-of-life vehicles.

In addition, Clariant is delighted to be part of the EU-funded 3-year Revolution project to develop lightweight automotive parts and improve recyclability by promoting the recycling of materials and the use of recycled polymers. The Additives team is helping to validate and develop solutions to push plastic materials beyond current performance and sustainability boundaries and help meet minimum recycling targets for vehicle plastic components expected in upcoming EU legislation. Clariant’s solutions include additives to maintain high-quality polymer recyclates, as well as additives to increase the recycled content in finished recyclable lightweight components.