Evonik developed a transparent sustainable polyamide made with a 50% reduction in carbon dioxide footprint compared to similar products developed with conventional energies.

Polyamides are essential in the optical industry, but they do not always go hand in hand with sustainability. To drive change, Evonik recently added a high-performance, sustainable molding compound to its range of transparent polyamides.

TROGAMID® myCX eCO is produced, in part, from a bio-based monomer and is produced entirely with renewable energy. According to Evonik, this results in a transparent sustainable polyamide made with a 50% reduction in carbon dioxide footprint, compared to the qualitatively equivalent premium product that is produced on a petrochemical basis and with conventional energy sources.

High-quality and sustainable polyamide

TROGAMID® myCX eCO is a high-performance, high-purity microcrystalline polyamide specially optimized for the optical industry. The name eCO stands for ‘remove CO2’.

On the one hand, this is achieved by substituting a raw material of petrochemical origin for one based on biomass. By mass balance, this results in 40% bio-based feedstock in the polymer. Second, only renewable energy is used in the production of the granules.

The resulting halving of the carbon balance compared to the fossil product has been confirmed by TÜV Rheinland certification. The analysis was prepared in accordance with ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 and includes the Cradle to Gate stage.

The company emphasizes that the sustainable manufacturing process in no way alters the outstanding properties of TROGAMID® myCX, such as its transparency of more than 90%, its mechanical properties, resistance to stress cracking and resistance to breakage.

In this way, TROGAMID® myCX eCO also guarantees long durability and high safety of premium lenses or high-quality visors for ski and snowboard goggles, as well as excellent wearing comfort due to its low weight.