Meeting rapidly changing sustainability challenges

Rapidly evolving market demands for sustainable materials has led to the launch of a new generation of bioplastics that meet the call for green, yet high-performance materials. The world’s leading producer of cellulosic materials, Eastman Chemical Company has responded to the call with the recent introduction of Eastman TRĒVA™, a breakthrough in engineering bioplastics that help global brands concurrently meet their sustainability and performance needs in today’s rapidly evolving marketplace. 

 

“Eastman leveraged nearly 100 years of cellulosic expertise in the design and testing of TRĒVA to meet the improved sustainability profile and performance needs of brands, fabricators, molders, and other companies across the value chain,” said Burt Capel, Vice President and General Manager of Eastman’s Specialty Plastics business unit. 

 

CHINAPLAS 2017 marked the first time Eastman launched TRĒVA™, a bioplastic composed of half cellulose, sourced from trees. The high-performing solution provides an excellent balance of properties for a wide variety of applications, enabling manufacturers to shape a better tomorrow in a naturally better way.

 

“With TRĒVA™, Eastman has achieved a breakthrough product in a sustainable material that offers excellent performance,” according to Kevin Duffy, Manager for Business Development, Specialty Plastics at Eastman. Mr. Duffy added that while Eastman has long been offering cellulose ester materials, it is the first time that Eastman has developed a bioplastic that has the balance of properties not readily found in bioplastics available in the market today.

 

Mr. Kevin Duffy, Manager for Business Development, Specialty Plastics  

 

Multiple benefits from a bio-based material

TRĒVA™’s benefits are three-fold: sustainability, end-use performance, and design and brand flexibility.  

TRĒVA™’s composition is about half cellulose, sourced from trees derived exclusively from sustainably managed forests that are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The new material is BPA-free and phthalate-free. Its excellent flow rates, durability and dimensional stability allow for less material usage, thinner parts, and longer product life, enhancing lifecycle assessments.

TRĒVA™ offers excellent chemical resistance, standing up better than other engineering thermoplastics to some of the harshest chemicals, including skin oils, sunscreens, and household cleaners. The material’s low birefringence means eliminating the unwelcomed rainbow effect some plastics experience with polarized light, improving the user experience with electronic device screens and retail displays.

 

 

Excellent flow characteristics also enable design freedom, allowing TRĒVA™ to be used with complicated designs and in filling thin parts. Under recommended processing conditions, recent thin-wall 30 mil spiral flow testing shows that TRĒVA™ flow rates are significantly better than polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS blends, and comparable to ABS.

 

TRĒVA™ is designed to allow for superior surface gloss, clarity and warm touch and feel, enabled through a combination of the base material and Eastman’s technological expertise. The material also boasts great color saturation, and superior secondary processing and decorating capability, creating additional design and branding options.

 

Wider applications

TRĒVA™’s superior combination of sustainability and safety benefits, end-use performance improvements, and design and brand flexibility make it ideal material choice for several applications. These include eyeglass frames, wearable electronics, headphones, and many other personal devices that come in direct contact with the skin. It is also ideal for electronic display applications, such as lenses and covers, that consumers need to see through; and electronics, housings, intricate cosmetics cases, and other products with high design and complex specifications. For automotive interior components, TRĒVA™ is recommended for automotive interior components where chemical resistance and aesthetics are desired. TRĒVA™ is an excellent material for other demanding applications with high sustainability and safety requirements.

 

Eastman is a global advanced materials and specialty additives company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. Its popular brand, Eastman Tritan™ copolyester has been well-accepted in the market today due to its versatility and value-added properties. Its additional advantages include easier processing, higher temperature resistance, and higher impact resistance. Tritan™ has found success in the United States as well as in Asia, as it has been the material of choice for a growing range of products. In the production of small appliances, the brand answers the call for a performance material that provides clarity while being very tough and safe. Tritan™is BPA-free and  it is possible to create different designs out of Tritan™.  

 

With a portfolio of specialty businesses, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. Its market-driven approaches take advantage of world-class technology platforms and leading positions in attractive end-markets such as transportation, building and construction and consumables. Eastman focuses on creating consistent, superior value for all stakeholders. As a globally diverse company, Eastman serves customers in more than 100 countries and had 2016 revenues of approximately $9.0 billion. The company is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA and employs approximately 14,000 people around the world.