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DOMO Chemicals and Siemens Smart Infrastructure validate new electrical-safety polyamide containing recycled content

| By Mary Bailey

Siemens Smart Infrastructure and DOMO Chemicals (Leuna, Germany) announced a significant milestone in their joint effort to promote sustainable practices in the electrical industry. DOMO Chemicals has successfully developed and validated a new, high-performance TECHNYL® 4EARTH® polyamide 6 (PA6) material to be used for Siemens applications, which incorporates recycled content and advanced flame-retardant technology.

Siemens will be using this material for electrical safety products for the first time. This groundbreaking TECHNYL® 4EARTH® material, specially developed by DOMO Chemicals, will enable Siemens to produce most of the covers and housings of the Siemens SENTRON 5SV3 residual current circuit breakers (RCCB), type A/AC, while offering the same performance and quality as conventional materials, which is a prerequisite for a safety product. RCCBs enhance electrical safety by quickly disconnecting power when they detect a current imbalance, preventing electric shocks and fires. They are essential in both residential and commercial electrical installations.

Composed of 50 percent recycled content, including chemically recycled PA6 from various post-industrial and post-consumer sources such as fibers and textile filaments, as well as glass reinforcement, the material significantly reduces the environmental impact of the manufacturing process without compromising performance or quality.

“We want to lead the industry with smart and sustainable technology. It’s our ‘new normal’ to deploy as much sustainable material as possible for each new product to support our customers in achieving both optimized operations and their environmental goals. We are delighted to promote circularity and responsible use of resources in the electrical and electronics industry together with our partner DOMO Chemicals,” said Andreas Matthé, CEO of Electrical Products at Siemens Smart Infrastructure

The SENTRON 5SV3 RCCBs, type A/AC, meet the criteria of the recently introduced Siemens EcoTech label. Besides using sustainable materials, the SENTRON RCCBs are designed to exceed the standard lifetime expectations set by IEC 61008-1. With an impressive 10,000 operating cycles, these devices offer superior mechanical and electrical life, ensuring reliable performance and longevity. With SENTRON 5SV RCCBs, type A/AC, functionality of existing applications can be enhanced effortlessly. The standardized accessory system allows for easy hardware upgrades, including auxiliary switches, undervoltage releases, and more. This unified system of function extensions ensures that machines and switchboards remain productive and cost-effective for longer periods.

TECHNYL 4EARTH C 52G1 V25 CR GY 2747 is used for most parts of the covers and housings of these RCCBs, which are produced in high quantities. The material is also UL certified, guaranteeing its quality and safety standards. The solution uses a phosphorous and halogen-free flame-retardant system. The PA6 compound offers excellent molding and electrical properties, ensuring optimal performance in demanding applications. The material can be easily customized to match specific color requirements, in this case, light grey.

 
“At DOMO Chemicals, our ambition is to support our customers in achieving a lower carbon footprint without compromising performance. We are thrilled to partner with Siemens to deliver innovative and sustainable solutions that meet the growing demand for environmentally friendly materials. With our TECHNYL® 4EARTH®, we combine high performance with various CO₂ reduction targets. By leveraging our expertise in polyamide technology alongside Siemens’ strong sustainability focus, we aim to make a positive impact on the electrical industry, a dynamic and rapidly growing market,” said Juha Jokinen, Chief Commercial Officer Engineered Materials at DOMO Chemicals

DOMO’s offering includes mechanically and chemically recycled solutions, as well as mass-balance certified options. These alternatives come with different levels of performance and environmental impact reduction and are offered based on the end customer’s application needs. Leveraging its extensive experience in flame-retardant and sustainable solutions, DOMO now provides unique sustainable alternatives to the E&E market, which combine minimized CO₂ impact, a substantial amount of recycled content, the ability to be colored, and laser markability, all achieved through various flame-retardant technologies. Safety remains paramount, as evidenced by the material’s UL certification, which applies to both mechanical and chemical recycled alternatives.

DOMO Chemicals and Siemens Smart Infrastructure are committed to expanding the availability of this sustainable material to meet the global demand for sustainable solutions in the electrical and electronics industry, in line with changing consumer behavior. DOMO Chemicals’ advanced recycling technology, coupled with its strong supplier network, enables the company to offer a wide range of sustainable polyamide solutions. The successful development of this flame-retardant PA6 compound demonstrates the potential of depolymerization as a promising technology for creating high-performance, environmentally friendly materials, supported by leading solution providers such as Siemens Smart Infrastructure.