NaKaReMa - Improving the sustainability of cable sheathing through regional, bio-based and recycled materials

The NaKaReMa project takes a holistic approach to cable sheathing for automotive applications and their improvement in terms of sustainability. To this end, various approaches are being investigated - both regional raw material sources to reduce transport routes and bio-based raw materials to reduce dependence on crude oil. The use of recyclates from cable sheathing to close the cycle through recycling is also being investigated.

Short Description

Cable sheaths, especially for automotive applications, are highly stressed, safety-relevant materials that ensure high reliability of electrical systems thanks to their high quality over the entire life cycle. Here, soft PVC (wPVC) is a material that cannot be replaced by other materials due to its outstanding properties in the application, despite certain disadvantages in production and disposal. In particular, the combination of chemical and thermal resistance as well as the excellent insulating effect cannot be replaced by other solutions in such harsh environmental conditions as those found in automotive applications (and also in the transport sector), as the alternatives all have significantly shorter lifetimes. Since wPVC cannot be replaced here, but production and disposal in particular pose certain problems, the aim of the NaKaReMa project is to make cable sheathing even more sustainable by exploring the possibilities with regard to the raw material base (bio-based materials), disposal (use of recycled PVC from cables to close a real cycle) and the ecological consideration of transport costs.

To this end, a consortium consisting of a cable manufacturer, a material manufacturer (bio-based additives) and a cable recycler (production of recycled PVC) is working together with researchers to produce and analyse the formulations and recyclates and to calculate the life cycle analyses in order to solve these problems. Industry representatives are also involved to disseminate the initiative and selected results, and to use this best practice example to launch further project initiatives that will then replicate the project and its positive aspects. It is expected that the formulations to be developed - with the same technical quality characteristics and at least the same service life in use - will achieve a saving of 35% in energy consumption. In addition, the proportion of bio-based raw material is to be increased to at least 10% of the formulation. Finally, these formulations should also perform well in end-of-life in that they are fully recyclable. This will secure the consortium's technological leadership and, thanks to the value chains established in the project, also jobs in Austria, as well as improving the R&D capacity for a holistic view of this complex of issues.

Project Partners

Project management

DI Barbara Liedl

Transfercenter für Kunststofftechnik GmbH

Partners of the project consortium

API PVC- und Umweltberatung GmbH
AUGUSTA Buntmetalle GmbH
Akdeniz Chemson Additives AG
Gebauer & Griller Kabelwerke Gesellschaft m.b.H.
Institut für Industrielle Ökologie

Contact Address

DI Barbara Liedl
Transfercenter für Kunststofftechnik GmbH
Franz-Fritsch-Str. 11, 4600 Wels
Tel.: +43 7242/2088-1000
E-Mail: office@tckt.at
Web: www.tckt.at