Asahi Kasei to Launch PFAS-Free Polyamide and CFRP Recycling Technology

On September 3rd, Asahi Kasei Corporation of Japan will showcase its latest innovations in PFAS-free polyamide (PA) and continuous carbon fiber recycling technology at the plastics and rubber trade fair K 2025. The company will also present its diverse material solutions aimed at automotive applications, connectivity, and lightweighting.

Image source: Asahi Kasei

Asahi Kasei has developed a groundbreaking recycling technology that can recover continuous carbon fibers from CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic) pressure vessels used in automobiles. This process utilizes electrolytic sulfuric acid to completely decompose the resin matrix while preserving the original strength and continuous structure of the carbon fibers. Unlike traditional recycling methods that result in short fibers, this technology can permanently recover high-quality, cost-effective continuous carbon fibers from CFRP pressure vessels. At K 2025, Asahi Kasei will showcase over 200 meters of regenerated continuous carbon fiber.

Asahi Kasei will also showcase PA and SEBS (hydrogenated styrenic thermoplastic elastomer) composites using bio-based biodegradable cellulose nanofibers (CNF). This material is made from cotton linter and features high heat resistance and network-forming capability. CNF-reinforced polyamide exhibits reduced viscosity during mixing, making it highly suitable for 3D printing applications, with easy printability, precise dimensions, smooth appearance, and excellent mechanical properties. CNF-reinforced SEBS offers unique softness that can be adjusted by altering the internal structure of molded products. Additionally, it has extremely low warpage and shrinkage rates, as well as good hydrolysis resistance. These characteristics make the material suitable for various applications, such as jigs and tools or prosthetics and orthotics.

To meet the growing market demand for PFAS-free materials, Asahi Kasei is developing a PFAS-free low-friction LEONA™ PA, which will be launched for the first time in Europe. According to internal evaluations, this material has the same low-friction performance as fluororesin and is suitable for sliding applications in various industries such as automotive, robotic components, office equipment components, and sporting goods.

The automotive manufacturing industry is increasingly focusing on weight reduction and design improvement. At the K 2025 exhibition, Asahi Kasei will showcase a variety of technologies to address the most pressing issues faced by automakers. AZP™ transparent polymer exhibits minimal birefringence and is lightweight. It overcomes the challenges that traditional transparent polymers encounter in polarized light applications—such as virtual reality and augmented reality devices, as well as automotive head-up displays (HUD)—while maintaining excellent processability, making it suitable for large-scale production of injection-molded optical components. The company will present an interactive automotive demonstration at K 2025 to showcase how AZP™ enables the next generation of HUDs.

Image source: Asahi Kasei

The surface layer, foam layer, and core layer of traditional car dashboards, door panels, armrests, or center consoles use different materials and production techniques. Asahi Kasei's SEBS material is suitable for the skin and foam layers and can be used in a single-step injection molding process with a core backing. The layers have strong chemical bonding without the need for additional adhesive layers. SEBS helps reduce the total amount of material, simplify the manufacturing process, and improve the recyclability of interior components.

Image source: Asahi Kasei

Another solution from Asahi Kasei that simplifies the production processes for automotive OEMs is SunForce™ mPPE (modified polyphenylene ether) bead foam. This material is highly suitable for mass production of thin-walled, complex-shaped parts that require low tolerances, high thermal stability, or UL94 V-0 flame retardancy. These characteristics make SunForce™ an ideal choice for thermal management solutions in electronic devices, lithium-ion battery transport trays, insulation components for HVAC equipment, and foam cores for FRP (fiber-reinforced plastic) composite parts.

Image source: Asahi Kasei

With the increasing application of radar in various industries, the pressure to reduce material, production costs, and weight is also growing. Slotted waveguide array antennas used in automotive millimeter-wave radar are typically made of metal, requiring expensive and time-consuming milling processes. Asahi Kasei's XYRON™ mPPE has mature wet plating performance, eliminating the need for milling processes and enabling mass production of resin antenna components through injection molding, thereby reducing costs and enhancing scalability.