October 11, 2024 15:54

BASF is set to introduce two new brand for low-carbon-footprint polyamides, one of which has achieved a zero carbon footprint, at the upcoming Fakuma trade show in Germany.
This initiative responds to the market's demand for more environmentally sustainable materials and marks another step toward the chemical group's goal of carbon neutrality and zero CO2 emissions by 2050.

Ultramid LowPCF is a line of polyamides with a reduced carbon footprint (PCF), achieved by using electricity from renewable sources and steam generated from using certified biomethane instead of natural gas. According to BASF, this reduces the carbon footprint of the materials by at least 30% (cradle-to-gate), benefiting customers in terms of their scope 3 emissions.

With Ultramid ZeroPCF, the net carbon footprint is zero, achieved through the use of renewable raw materials, renewable electricity, and low-emission steam. At the beginning of the production process, fossil raw materials are replaced by the corresponding amount of certified biomethane and bio-naphtha and allocated to the sales products using the mass balance approach. It taking into account the “biogenic uptake”, i.e. the amount of CO2 absorbed from the atmosphere during the growth of biomass and bound over the lifetime of the material. In addition to renewable electricity and low-emission steam, the biogenic uptake enables the product’s CO2 footprint to be reduced to net zero.

BASF offers Ultramid B (PA6) and the caprolactam used to produce it as part of the ZeroPCF and LowPCF series, along with Ultramid C copolyamides in LowPCF versions.

"We are the first company in the world to offer both LowPCF and ZeroPCF options in the polyamide 6 value chain," said Pedro Serra, BASF's PA6 Sales Director for Europe. "With this portfolio, we meet the increasing demand in the industry and are helping our customers to achieve their sustainability goals".

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