C1-02 Development of recycled materials for automotive applications across various quality grades (by component, from low- to high-quality)
Collaborating Organization
ISHIZUKA CHEMICAL SANGYO CO., LTD
Research and Development Overview
In response to the European Commission’s proposed End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV) Regulation issued in July 2023, addressing future recycled-content requirements has become an urgent priority for the Japanese automotive industry.
To support this need, this theme was newly added to the SIP program, and we joined the initiative to develop high-quality recycled materials for automotive applications. The proposal has since been submitted by the European Commission to the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament, followed by trilogue discussions that have led to a provisional agreement.
The regulation is expected to be formally adopted and published during FY2026. Under the current provisional agreement, six years after publication, 15% of the plastics used in automobiles will be required to come from post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials, of which 20% must be derived from end-of-life vehicles (ELV). Ten years after publication, the requirement is expected to increase to 25% PCR content, with 20% of that amount sourced from ELV-derived materials.
Through participation in this program, we aim to strengthen collaboration across the value chain and accelerate the development of high-quality recycled materials that are practical for automotive implementation.
Our development activities will focus on the following three areas:
- (1) Development of JAMA Specified Target Properties for Reinforced Polypropylene Compounds (Filler Containing Grade)
- (2) Development of JAMA Specified Target Properties for General Purpose Polypropylene Compounds (Non Filler Grade)
- (3) Prototype Production and Evaluation Using the Developed Materials
Progress and Achievements
Based on the common target property values established for materials containing recycled content, we examined material designs, prepared prototype compounds, and evaluated physical properties using a range of PCR feedstocks, including recycled materials derived from discarded home appliances, industrial waste, construction waste, and packaging waste. In response to requests from automotive manufacturers and molding companies to compensate for the limited applicability of PCR materials in certain components, we focused on polypropylene (PP), which is widely used across many automotive parts, as a practical resin platform for increasing recycled content.
In the first stage of development, we evaluated two selected component categories—filled and unfilled PP grades—by setting the PCR content at 50%. For the filled PP application, the glove box achieved favorable results in moldability, odor performance, and mechanical properties at 50% PCR content. For the unfilled PP application, the lower door trim did not meet the target value in the falling-weight impact test at 50% PCR content; however, the target was achieved after reducing the PCR content to 25%. These results indicated that a uniform development approach would be difficult to apply, as the required performance varies significantly depending on the component and its end-use requirements.
In the second stage, we assessed the influence of different PCR feedstocks at the same blending ratio. PCR materials that were expected to satisfy the target property values and that contained relatively low levels of contamination and foreign matter in their recovered state delivered favorable results, as anticipated, in moldability, odor performance, and mechanical properties. These findings confirmed that feedstock quality has a significant impact on the performance and practical applicability of recycled materials for automotive use.
In the third stage, we expanded the evaluation to a filled PP lower grille, which is a large exterior component, and obtained favorable results at a PCR content of 30% in terms of moldability, odor performance, mechanical properties, and paintability. At the same time, implementation-related challenges were identified, particularly differences in shrinkage behavior caused by the use of PCR materials, which led to fitment issues during component assembly.
In the fourth stage, we evaluated additional large filled PP components and conducted broader assessments covering moldability, odor performance, mechanical properties, paintability, and shrinkage characteristics. Similar shrinkage variations were observed after molding, again resulting in installation-related issues.