New sustainable liquid crystal polymer

Polyplastics Co., Ltd., a global leader in engineering plastics, has launched LAPEROSⓇ bG-LCP. This sustainable liquid crystal polymer solution is based on biomass-derived materials (mass balance approach) which reduces CO₂ emissions and improves the renewable content ratio. The new LCP expands the company's DURACIRCLEⓇ initiative which already includes DURACON (R) bG-POM.

LAPEROSⓇ bG-LCP is manufactured like conventional products and exhibits the same chemical and physical properties. It is scheduled to be commercialized in 2025.

Polyplastics plans to expand this new solution to all grades of LAPEROSⓇ LCP. The mass balance approach combines raw materials derived from biomass with those derived from fossil resources. By combining them into resin manufacturing processes a portion of the resulting product can be considered to be biomass-derived, according to the volume of biomass raw material input.

This sustainable option eliminates the need to produce biomass-derived and fossil resource-derived products separately. Users do not have to re-evaluate performance and quality for each separate grade. Thus, the approach effectively helps to more quickly achieve carbon neutrality and a circular economy.

LAPEROSⓇ LCP delivers thin-wall and high-flowability characteristics along with superior heat resistance and strong mechanical performance. It also possesses higher strength per unit area at reduced thicknesses, along with a low linear expansion coefficient close to that of metal. It is used in many ultra-small precision connectors and other parts of cutting-edge IT devices that are becoming increasingly compact, including tablets and smartphones.

DURACIRCLEⓇ is an initiative that encompasses the use of renewable feedstock as well as resin recycling and re-compounding operations aimed at generating higher performance and value. This includes biomass-balanced products such as LAPEROSⓇ bG-LCP and DURACON Ⓡ bG-POM, expanding the use of post-consumer recycled (PCR) sources, chemical recycling, and the development of raw material technology that reuses CO₂ emissions.