Covestro supports circular material solutions for smartphones
"With the help of our post-consumer recycling portfolio, we support Fairphone in achieving its sustainability goals. This includes particularly robust material solutions that enable a modular design of Fairphone products and promote their repairability. Such projects and collaborations are in line with our vision to become fully circular."
The glass-fiber-reinforced grade of the Makrolon® PCR portfolio offers a good solution for the heavily stressed center frame of the Fairphone 4. The increased stiffness and impact resistance are in line with Fairphone's modular design approach. Covestro thus also supports a mono-material approach in each case for the use of polycarbonates in the housing and TPU plastics in the protective cover to facilitate recycling of the smartphones at the end of their useful life.
"With a shared mission to create a more equitable and sustainable future, Fairphone is pleased to collaborate with Covestro and use its recycled and recyclable materials solutions in our Fairphone 4. We believe Covestro can help us work towards a circular economy that creates a more sustainable world. This is just a first step, and we will continue to support Covestro in developing more sustainable materials"
Key benefits
- Sustainable With a PCR content of 30 to 50 percent, Makrolon® portfolio reduces CO2 emissions by 30 percent compared to virgin material which are used in the rear device cover, middle frame and wireless charger of Fairphone 4. Desmopan® is fully recycled.
- Impact strength and high stiffness Makrolon® portfolio offers good impact strength, high stiffness and flame retardancy.
- Low melting point and better flowability TPUs of the Desmopan® , with low melting point and better flowability, are now used in the protective cover of Fairphone 4.
