Saudi Arabian chemicals and plastics giant Sabic (Riyadh; www.sabic.com) has expanded its “LNP Elcrin iQ” range of polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) resins with two grades that incorporate 30% pre-consumer recycled short-glass fibre. The glass fibre used in the new grades is diverted from the waste stream of industrial processes, according to Sabic, and contains 100% recycled content, according to Underwriters Laboratories’ “Recycled Content Validation” procedure (UL 2809), following a mass balance approach. Sabic’s Elcrin iQ line of PBT resins are made from rPET (see Plasteurope.com of 26.03.2021).

The new “LNP Elcrin WF006XXPiQ” compound contains 67% recycled content and lowers the carbon footprint by 29% compared to a virgin PBT reinforced with virgin glass fiber.

Meanwhile, the new “LNP Elcrin iQ WF0061XPiQ” PBT grade contains 55% recycled content and reduces its carbon footprint by 24%. Mechanical properties and colour equivalency of the two compounds are similar to LNP Elcrin iQ grades that use virgin glass-fibre reinforcement.