Sustainability Mobility

Product durability, quality, and recyclability play an important role in sustainability.

Sustainable Solutions for Tomorrow's Mobility

Product durability, quality, and recyclability play an important role in sustainability. They help conserve resources, save energy, and reduce emissions and waste. Kuraray leverages our technical expertise to precisely impart these characteristics to our products. Two solutions, PARAPET™ and PARAPURE™ will be introduced to provide partners in the automotive sector with new options for recycling tail lamps and manufacturing polypropylene auto parts.

PARAPET™ : Easy and Efficient Recycling of Tail Lamps

PARAPET™, a new high-tech material developed by Kuraray, is truly a breakthrough product: for the first time, mechanical recycling of tail lamps is possible. Conventional tail lamps are generally manufactured using methacrylic resin (PMMA) for the lens cover and ASA or ABS resin for the housing, which was technically unfeasible until now. In addition, this composite material is usually thermally bonded, making subsequent separation and recycling very difficult.

Kenta Takemoto

Special Researcher, Methacryl Development Department, Methacryl Division

That's where PARAPET™ comes in. This material is also based on PMMA, but its solution and customer-oriented approach sets it apart from traditional PMMA. PARAPET™ was developed specifically to meet the demands of the automotive industry and offers an innovative recycling route.

New tail lamps made entirely of PARAPET™ can be crushed for recycling, mixed with PARAPET™ impact modifier, and treated with new PARAPET™ in a one-step two-color injection molding process to produce a new housing. The housing and cover no longer need to be manufactured separately and thermally bonded. This will greatly simplify the production and recycling processes and open up new prospects for more sustainable automotive production.

What is PMMA Resin?

PMMA stands for polymethyl methacrylate, also known as acrylic glass. This transparent thermoplastic is known for its optical clarity, Weatherability, and dimensional stability. PMMA is very versatile and is used not only in the automotive field, but also in architectural, advertising display, and optical applications. PMMA is biocompatible and nontoxic to living organisms, making it suitable for medical applications. PMMA is produced by polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA).

ISCC PLUS Certified Quality and Safety

PARAPET™ is manufactured at Kuraray's ISCC PLUS-certified Niigata Plant. ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) is an internationally recognized sustainability certification that certifies the traceable use of sustainable raw materials throughout the value chain.

PARAPET™ : A Material with a Wide Range of Properties

Chemical resistance: PARAPET™ is impervious to chemicals such as alkalis and oils, as well as substances such as ammonium hydroxide, kerosene, and diesel oil.
Weatherability: PARAPET™ has excellent Weatherability. Being based on acrylate, it is resistant to strong UV rays.
Impact resistance: PARAPET™ can withstand sudden force and impact, partly because it contains cross-linked rubber particles.
Mechanical workability: PARAPET™ has excellent workability and is resistant to thermal decomposition.
Gloss: PARAPET™ has an excellent gloss comparable to conventional transparent materials such as PMMA and PVC. Turbidity value is less than 0.3%.

PARAPURE™ FB Grade: New Colors for the Car of the Future

The PARAPURE™ FB grade brings innovation to automotive exterior design. As an alternative film decoration technology to painting, it has excellent adhesion and durability, and is compatible with a wide variety of materials such as ABS and PP. Furthermore, after use, it can be easily separated and recovered by heat treatment or solvents, making it highly recyclable. Kuraray's proprietary elastomer retains its mechanical properties even after re-pelletization. This challenging material, which combines environmental friendliness and design, opens up new possibilities for the mobility of tomorrow.

Rammaru Funaoka

Specialist PMMA Development at Kuraray Europe GmbH

The challenge facing many automakers today is to achieve both environmental friendliness and high quality. PARAPURE™ FB grade is an innovative solution that allows for easy separation and recovery of decorative films and reuse of materials. Kuraray's proprietary elastomer maintains performance even after re-pelletizing. We support a step toward a sustainable society by realizing waste reduction and recycling-oriented use. We believe this material has the power to change the mobility of tomorrow.

PARAPURE™ FB Grade: A New Alternative to Painting

High adhesion to multiple materials: Compatible with different materials such as ABS and PP for greater design freedom
Adhesive- and plasticizer-free construction: Long-term Weatherability and stable quality
High chipping resistance: Can be used safely for exterior parts.
Excellent recyclability: The recycled material retains its mechanical properties even when crushed and repelleted as is. It can also be easily separated and reused by heat treatment or solvents.

These features make the PARAPURE™ FB grade a new option for the automotive industry as a next-generation decorative film that combines environmental friendliness and high functionality.

PARAPURE™ FB Grade: Smart for Decorations and the Environment

PP resin is widely used in automotive parts, and its reuse has been promoted in line with growing social needs such as the European ELV regulation. On the other hand, recycled materials present challenges such as contamination by foreign matter, odor, and reduced strength. PARAPURE™ FB grade has high adhesion to PP, and the decorative film can be separated and collected after use. In addition, Kuraray's proprietary elastomer maintains mechanical properties after re-pelletization, contributing to improved quality of recycled PP. It is a new option that is both environmentally friendly and functional, and will help shape the future of automotive design.

PARAPURE™ FB Grade: Reusable Beauty, Redefined

High adhesion: Adhesion to a wide variety of resins, including PP, regardless of polarity or non-polarity. It offers a high degree of design freedom and a wider range of decorative applications.
Integrated crushing and reuse of decorative film: Decorative film and base material can be crushed and re-pelletized as is with little change in physical properties and excellent recyclability.
Compatible with a variety of molding methods: Can be used for film insert molding, vacuum and pressure molding, and other diverse decorative methods without changing the configuration. Excellent processability and mass-producibility.
Contribution to Sustainability: In the European ELV (End-of-Life Vehicle) recovery regulations, there is potential to contribute to the promotion of the reuse of PP parts, and there are high expectations for PP as an environmentally friendly material. Kuraray's proprietary elastomers have the potential to stabilize quality by providing a dispersing effect against foreign matter contamination, odor, and strength loss, which have been issues with conventional recycled PP. *Now being tested for feasibility.