DOMO Chemicals accelerating sustainable innovation in polyamides

DOMO Chemicals showcased its latest developments in sustainability, performance, and application focused engineering under the theme of “building the future together” at K 2025.

“We are accelerating our journey toward specialized, low-carbon polyamide solutions. Each innovation we showcased at K 2025 is designed to help our customers lead the transition to a more sustainable future – brought to life through a unique experience inspired by the four elements: earth, air, fire, and water,” said Yves Bonte, CEO of DOMO Chemicals.

“Our focus is to provide tailor-made polyamide solutions for the automotive, consumer goods, industrial and electrical and electronics sectors, while remaining a reliable supplier of polyamide resins and their precursors.”

Automotive Industries (AI) was at the stand, and spoke to Nancy Zilly, Application Development Manager Automotive Market at DOMO, Maarten Veevaete, Application Center Director at DOMO, and Stephan Lehmann, DOMO Application Development Manager for Composites.

AI: What new sustainable polyamide solutions did you present at K 2025?

Veevaete: Visitors were able to examine components developed using the innovative “dissolution” recycling technology. Our goal is to become the go-to partner for our customers in the realm of sustainable innovation.

Transitioning from a virgin material to a recycled alternative, or shifting from metal to polymer, can be quite challenging. We are available to assist our customers every step of the way with our advanced services, which include redesigning applications, simulating performance, and conducting final application tests.

Additionally, we provide complete product certifications for our recycled materials, just as we do for our prime offerings. This all-encompassing strategy is unparalleled in the industry, highlighting DOMO’s dedication to circularity and delivering innovative, high-performance solutions.

However, it is important to note that there is no universal solution. Various end-use specifications require distinct recycling pathways.

Unlike the production of prime materials, multiple fundamentally different technologies must be taken into account, which adds to the complexity. To tackle this, DOMO has created a suite of complementary technologies, each addressing a specific aspect of the challenge.

• Mechanical recycling: lowest CO₂ footprint when quality requirements allow
• Depolymerization breaks down materials into monomers for applications requiring virgin-like purity
• Mass balance is a fast drop-in solution that uses existing assets.

These three technologies are available alongside bio-based polyamides derived from renewable resources, as well as prime-based polymers that boast a reduced CO₂ footprint due to cutting-edge energy recovery methods and the use of renewable energy.

Nevertheless, we are actively seeking new alternatives. At K Show, we unveiled components created using groundbreaking “dissolution” recycling technology.

This pilot initiative was a joint effort between AUDI AG, the Fraunhofer IVV, and DOMO. By improving plastic sorting, we successfully separated polyamides from the shredder fractions of end-of-life vehicles.

Through dissolution-based recycling, high-purity PA6 and PA66 were recovered and used as post-consumer recycled (PCR) feedstock in a 30% blend. The resulting injection-molded parts complied with OEM standards, proving the capability of this process to generate high-quality recyclates from automotive end-of-life materials.

We are currently assessing the scalability of this innovative technology. The complexity of recycling presents a challenge, and at DOMO, our answer is versatility.

A sustainable materials strategy necessitates aligning the recycled feedstock with the appropriate technology and with the application requirements, balancing performance, quality, and environmental impact. With our extensive array of options, DOMO provides its customers with the optimal solution tailored to their unique requirements.

AI: How is DOMO innovation strategy delivering new polyamide solutions to meet changing customer demands?

Veevaete: Circularity is no longer optional. It is essential. In response to regulatory demands and consumer preferences, our clients are increasingly urged to adopt sustainable materials. We work alongside them to create solutions that minimize environmental impact, such as recycled and bio-based polyamides. These offerings adhere to rigorous performance and sustainability criteria.

Simultaneously, our clients are on the lookout for cost-effective, high-performance materials that prioritize lightweight design. We assist in achieving this objective by supplying robust, dependable polyamide alternatives that can substitute for metal and enhance overall efficiency.

Collaboration drives these innovations. A prime illustration of this is the lightweight, recyclable bicycle handlebar created for the German bike manufacturer Canyon, developed in partnership with several collaborators and featured at K Show.

This handlebar utilizes some of our most advanced materials to substitute metal, representing a groundbreaking solution in its sector. It clearly demonstrates how partnership and shared innovation enable circular, high-performance solutions that combine sustainability with technical excellence.

Another major challenge facing our clients is the electrification of vehicles. We are crafting advanced polyamide solutions specifically designed to address the needs of e-mobility.

Some requirements are unique to the automotive sector, such as having FR grades which are compatible with coolant media. This was a completely new requirement because the flame-retardant materials had been developed for construction, in which there is no contact with coolant or even water.

A significant hurdle in the realm of e-mobility is the need to minimize weight. The overall performance and range of a vehicle are heavily influenced by its weight, prompting car manufacturers to seek lighter alternatives to traditional metals.

Our polyamides serve as an excellent solution, offering a combination of strength and lightness that enhances energy efficiency and increases range. Furthermore, electric vehicles introduce unique electrical safety concerns, including the need for high-voltage insulation and flame resistance.

Our polyamide solutions effectively combine mechanical strength, electrical properties, and flame resistance, making them perfect for battery housings, connectors, and other components associated with the battery. We are pleased to advance polyamide technology and assist our clients in developing electric vehicles that are safer, more efficient, and environmentally friendly.

When it comes to electromobility, you want to integrate the housing into the cooling system, which is where you have to bond metal and plastic in the most cost-effective way.

Another area in which we are building new competencies is in the management of extreme temperatures, such as in the event of thermal runaway. Organic materials were never historically developed to withstand temperatures above 1,000 degrees.

Even where it is not necessary for them to survive such a high temperature, they need to retain some insulation and mechanical properties to prevent or at least slow the spread of flames from the battery.

Other areas in which we are strongly investing are electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and the replacement of metal components with plastics.

AI: What new materials do you offer for preventing thermal runaway in e-mobility?

Zilly: Over the past two decades, the Technyl® brand has continued to evolve, consistently setting new standards in fire protection performance and expanding its use in increasingly demanding applications where safety is critical.

At the K Show, we introduced for the first time solutions designed to help prevent thermal runaway in EV batteries. Among them is Technyl® J 60X1 V30 (PAHT HFFR GF30), which has demonstrated outstanding efficiency in high-voltage electrical protection and battery safety.

Through rigorous UL2596 testing and additional application-specific evaluations, this material has proven:

• Its ability to protect high-voltage busbars from insulation failure during thermal runaway events.
• Its suitability for battery module components and covers, effectively helping to contain flames within the housing and improving overall system safety.

As competitiveness remains a key factor in the automotive industry – particularly in the EV segment, given current market pressures and the performance gap that still exists between EVs and ICE vehicles – DOMO continues to expand and optimize its material portfolio. Our goal is to deliver increasingly cost-effective and high-performance solutions based on PA66 to support our customers in this evolving landscape.

AI: How does the TECHNYL® range combine flame retardancy with high-flow technology for new e-mobility needs?

Zilly: High-flow materials were the historical key to developing the flame retardancy product. Because additives, especially halogen-free additives, are sensitive to temperature, you want to avoid degrading them during processing.

TECHNYL STAR® and TECHNYL® ONE grades provide a solution because you are using a process that is 20 degrees lower than the standard, and therefore protects the additives.

AI: What is the unique value of TECHNYL STAR® matrix and how is it compared to the PA6 market benchmark?

Zilly: It is patented technology, for which the rest of the market has no comparison.

It has 100 times the flow rate of the standard 6, which means you are able to charge it with up to 60% glass fiber, for example. Similarly, you can formulate conductive materials embedded with very high levels of thermally or electrically conductive material.

This is a key asset to be able to charge this material in that way.

AI: How does your TECHNYL® polyamide create stronger bond for metal to plastic adhesion?

Zilly: TECHNYL® STAR AF 61SX V30 BK is a polyamide 66 that boasts a halogen-free flame-retardant system, organic heat stabilization, and a 30% glass fiber reinforcement.

This injection molding-friendly material is ideal for e-mobility applications like power electronics (inverter, converter, HV charger) and battery cooling components (quick connectors, snake inlet/outlet, hybrid plates), thanks to its UL 94 V0 classification at a thickness of 1.6 mm, and is compatible with coolants, which allows it to retain its FR and mechanical properties.  

TECHNYL® polyamides are also used to fill cavities and create components in automotive applications, with different product lines catering to specific needs like heat resistance, hollow bodies, and sustainability.

The TECHNYL® RED line is for high-temperature engine components, TECHNYL® SHAPE is designed for hollow parts like fluid-carrying systems, and TECHNYL® 4EARTH® offers a sustainable option for demanding applications.

These materials help replace metal, reduce weight, and meet stringent automotive requirements for performance, safety, and environmental impact.

AI: Does your recycled grade and unidirectional (UD) tapes have the same energy absorption as the injection molding grade and what are the benefits of TECHNYL® 4 EARTH?

Lehman: Yes, comparable energy absorption can be achieved with TECHNYL® 4 EARTH® (100% recycled) and unidirectional (UD) tapes. However, the part design and tape integration must be considered.

Fully recycled materials can be used with UD tapes to create safety-relevant parts, even when recycled compounds with lower mechanical properties are used.

One example showcased here is a child seat headrest made with TECHNYL® 4 EARTH® (100% recycled fishnet material) and TECHNYL® LITE C118 V70 BK (glass fiber UD tapes).

Both virgin-material and hybrid parts showed an energy absorption of around 16 J. In the described hybrid scenario (partially virgin and partially recycled), the energy absorption is also around 16 J.

The major advantage of the hybrid part is its failure mode. Injection-molded virgin parts tend to fail abruptly, while recycled parts show more gradual failure and a longer lifespan. The hybrid part can also achieve about a 20% weight reduction.

AI: In what way are the new TECHNYL® grades optimized for Direct Long Fiber Thermoplastic (D-LFT) technology, enabling faster cycle times and enhanced productivity of large-scale components?

Lehman: Key improvements include better flowability, which improves impregnation of fiber bundles and enhances polymer-fiber adhesion.

Stronger adhesion results in more homogeneous stress distribution and better fiber integrity during processing due to reduced fiber shear. Higher fiber content can be achieved, resulting in improved mechanical properties. There are also productivity benefits for large-scale components.

Additionally, the material’s optimized flow reduces compression molding filling time and energy consumption.

AI: What is next for DOMO?

Veevaete: Next for DOMO is to further expand our portfolio of sustainable, high-performance polyamide solutions. We will continue driving circular innovation through complementary recycling technologies and bio-based materials, while deepening our expertise in e-mobility, electrical and electronics, consumer, and industrial applications.

Our goal is to be the preferred partner for customers seeking lightweight, low-carbon solutions that combine technical excellence with real sustainability impact.