German chemicals company Evonik has published life cycle assessment (LCA) data for its VESTAMID polyamide and TROGAMID transparent polyamide products. The LCAs have been added to the company’s growing High Performance Polymers Plastics Database, which includes sustainability data for over 100 of Evonik’s polyamide offerings.
This move reportedly seeks to increase transparency and accountability surrounding the circularity and sustainability of Evonik’s products and services. The company’s LCA methodology is certified by TÜV Rheinland Energy & Environment GmbH, a third-party environmental certification firm.
According to Dominic Stoerkle, head of Evonik’s High Performance Polymers’ Long Chain Polyamides product line, “Transparency is key for making sustainable decisions, and we want to pass this data on to our current and prospective customers.” He added that the data can help Evonik customers satisfy their respective sustainability goals.
“At Evonik, contributing to a more sustainable future is part of the way we operate,” added Florian Hermes, director of sustainable business solutions at Evonik’s High Performance Polymers business line.
She highlighted the company’s goal to generate more than 50% of its sales from ‘Next Generation Solutions’ by 2030. These are products that have a positive sustainability profile that is “clearly above the market reference level.”
New LCAs added to Evonik’s polymer database
The VESTAMID line of polyamide materials features properties tailored to a range of applications, including gas pipes, oil production and automotive parts. According to Evonik, VESTAMID is the most widely used polyamide 12 for automotive production lines. Evonik’s TROGAMID line of transparent polyamides is said to offer value in other applications, such as the production of optical equipment and food industry containers.
VESTAMID’s customizable properties are enabled by the addition of materials such as glass fibers, impact modifiers or adhesion promoters. The polyamide products reportedly offer excellent resistance to heat, impact, water and solvents.
LCAs measure the environmental impact of a product throughout its life, from the extraction of raw material to materials processing, end-use, and disposal. The company claims that its VESTAMID and TROGAMID LCAs feature ‘fact-driven metrics.’ These include carbon emissions, as well as water and land use. It calls this data a ‘boon’ for customers wanting to build a value chain that meets sustainability goals.
For example, LCA data reported that Evonik’s VESTAMID eCO LX9039 BBM100 polyamide 12 material has a carbon footprint of 2.7 kg CO2eq/kg product. It also has a blue water consumption of 27 kg per product. The material is made with renewable energy and 100% biobased carbon in a mass-balanced approach.
Evonik claims that the LCA for this material, which targets the production of parts like toothbrush filaments, allows manufacturers to highlight the sustainability benefits of their products.
Evonik’s 3D printing portfolio
While Evonik’s VESTAMID and TROGAMID polyamide products are not specifically targeted at additive manufacturing, the company does offer a range of FDM 3D printable filaments and SLS polymer powder. These include RESOMER biodegradable medical-grade filament, bioresorbable RESOMER PrintPowder, and VESTAKEEP PEEK filaments for medical implants.
The latter includes VESTAKEEP iC4612 3DF and VESTAKEEP iC4620 3DF, which launched last year. These materials incorporate 12% and 20% carbon fiber content, respectively. They offer material choices based on strength and flexibility requirements for 3D printed implants like bone plates and reconstructive prostheses. According to Evonik, the filament’s carbon fiber content provides strength, while 3D PEEK adds flexibility and alignment precision.
It was announced earlier this year that Evonik has partnered with Massachusetts-based industrial 3D printer manufacturer Desktop Metal (DM). This collaboration seeks to qualify Evonik’s INFINAM ST 6100 L material on DM’s ETEC Xtreme 8K and Pro XL printers.
INFINAM ST 6100 L reportedly offers properties ideal for 3D printing molds, models, tooling, and end-use parts for aerospace, automotive, and electronics applications. Parts 3D printed in this material can also undergo post-processing steps including machining and polishing.
Is 3D printing sustainable?
Sustainability has become a major theme within the 3D printing industry over recent years, with many lauding the technology for its green capabilities. However, it is important to recognize that 3D printing is not a panacea for eco-friendly manufacturing.
This was emphasized by Dr. Phil Reeves during a talk at TCT 3Sixty 2023. He directly challenged the hype surrounding the sustainability “bandwagon,” and sought to present the truth of sustainability and additive manufacturing.
Dr. Reeves questioned widespread claims that additive manufacturing is more energy-efficient than other production methods. He pointed to the high energy intake of processes like Selective Laser Melting (SLM), which are significantly greater than subtractive processes like CNC machining.
While Reeves acknowledged the sustainability potential of additive manufacturing, he noted it should be approached with a “holistic, science-based perspective,” considering the entire lifecycle of the product.
This sentiment was echoed by Michael Hauschild (PhD), Head of DTU Centre for Absolute Sustainability, during AM Summit 2023. He emphasized that he has heard “so much sustainable this and that here, and nobody has a clue whether it’s actually sustainable or just more sustainable than something else.”
Therefore, LCAs are a key tool in determining whether 3D printing outweighs the environmental costs for each given application. An assessment conducted by the Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association (AMGTA) last year pitched metal casting against binder jetting for the production of a steel scroll chiller.
The results highlighted a 38% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions when using the metal 3D printing process. This was primarily driven by the reduced energy demand during the production phase, demonstrating one application where 3D printing offers significant potential for green manufacturing.
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Featured image shows the Evonik headquarters in Essen, Germany. Photo via Evonik.
