EcoPaXX®: The Green Performer

A key factor is its raw material base: EcoPaXX® PA410 is derived from castor oil, a plant-based feedstock that provides a key chemical building block needed for the material’s high-performance properties.  

Designed for many applications 

EcoPaXX® combines strong thermal and mechanical performance with properties that support reliable use in demanding applications. Low moisture uptake contributes to dimensional stability, high chemical resistance, and higher dielectric strength than many short-chain polyamides. At the same time, the material meets a broad range of regulatory and functional requirements, including suitability for drinking water applications, availability in halogen-free flame-retardant grades from V0 to V2, and approval for food contact. 

Over the years, these characteristics have helped make EcoPaXX® a versatile solution for both technical and sustainability goals. Its low-friction properties and potential for compact component design further contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, its resistance to wear, abrasion, and chemicals can help extend product lifetimes. In various applications, the potential for weight reduction, more resource-efficient part designs, and low oligomer content allows for more design freedom in the application, more efficient production at the molder, and further support our customers more sustainability objectives.

As a result, EcoPaXX® has become a reliable material choice for automotive, consumer goods, and general industrial manufacturing, with an excellent track record in applications ranging from conveyor belts and gears to expansion tanks, sanitary parts, and kitchen utensils for global household brands. 

From crops to advanced polyamide 

EcoPaXX® is based on castor oil, a renewable raw material extracted from castor beans. Most castor plants are grown in India, where they provide the bio-based foundation that plays an important role in shaping the polyamide’s high-performance properties. 

The molecular structure of castor oil makes it particularly well-suited to produce the C10 building block used in EcoPaXX®. Combined with a shorter C4 chain, it creates a polyamide structure that brings together several important performance characteristics, such as low moisture uptake, high chemical resistance and thermal strength. 

The castor oil content ensures that EcoPaXX® is around 70% bio-based. An even higher share is possible through a certified mass-balance approach for the C4 building block, further strengthening the material’s renewable content and lowering the carbon footprint.