— By Plasteurope.com staff — 

Compounder Hexpol (Malmö, Sweden; www.hexpol.com) has announced that materials from its Dryflex Circular TPE range have been certified to Porsche’s PN 780 standard, which sets out requirements for low odour and low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions in automotive interior applications.

According to the company, compounds in the Dryflex Circular series contain up to 75% recycled content, using both post-industrial and post-consumer recyclates depending on the application. One material, Dryflex PIR 853317-2, includes 45% recycled content and was tested under the PN 780 procedure. Hexpol said that results for individual volatile substances and overall VOC levels were significantly below the standard’s limits.

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The material also passed the VDA 270 odour test – a standardised method used by the German carmakers’ association VDA (Berlin; www.vda.de) to assess how strongly a material smells when used inside a vehicle. It received a rating of 3.0, indicating no impact on passenger comfort. The company also reported a 43% reduction in the compound’s carbon footprint compared with an equivalent virgin-material TPE.

Thomas Köppl, global head of product management at Hexpol TPE, said the results demonstrate that even stringent odour and emissions requirements can be met with recycled-content compounds.

Hexpol states that the Dryflex Circular TPE materials are suitable for a range of automotive interior parts, including mats, seals, and trim components.