Asahi Kasei, a Japanese technology company, will present its latest developments in PFAS-free polyamides and continuous carbon fiber recycling technology at K 2025, the world’s leading trade fair for plastics and rubber, held from October 8-15, 2025, in Düsseldorf, Germany. The company’s exhibit at Hall 8a, Booth E23, will also feature material solutions for automotive applications, focusing on connectivity, lightweighting, and streamlined production.
Asahi Kasei has developed a recycling technology for carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) pressure vessels used in automobiles. The process, which uses electrolyzed sulfuric acid, fully decomposes the resin matrix while preserving the strength and continuous structure of carbon fibers. Unlike traditional methods that produce chopped fibers, this technology enables the recovery of over 200 meters of high-quality, cost-effective continuous carbon fibers, supporting perpetual recycling.
The company will also introduce polyamide (PA) and styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS) compounds reinforced with bio-based, biodegradable cellulose nano fiber (CNF) derived from cotton linter. The CNF-reinforced polyamide offers high heat resistance, low viscosity when agitated, and suitability for 3D printing, providing dimensional accuracy, smooth appearance, and strong mechanical performance. The CNF-reinforced SEBS exhibits adjustable softness, low warpage, low shrinkage, and good hydrolysis resistance, making it applicable for jigs, tooling, prosthetics, and orthotics.
Addressing the demand for PFAS-free materials, Asahi Kasei will debut a low-friction LEONA polyamide grade in Europe. Internal evaluations indicate it matches the low-friction properties of fluororesins, making it suitable for sliding applications in automotive, robotics, office automation, and sporting goods.
For automotive lightweighting, Asahi Kasei will showcase AZP, a transparent polymer with near-zero birefringence, designed for applications like virtual and augmented reality devices and automotive head-up displays (HUD). An interactive automotive demonstration at K 2025 will highlight AZP™’s role in next-generation HUD systems, offering superior processability for large-scale injection-molded optical components.
Asahi Kasei’s SEBS material enables single-step molding of automotive interior components, such as instrument panels and armrests, using core back injection molding. This process eliminates adhesive layers by leveraging strong chemical bonding between skin, foam, and core layers, reducing material use and enhancing recyclability.
The company will also display SunForce, a modified polyphenylene ether (mPPE) particle foam suited for mass-producing thin-walled, complex parts with low tolerances, high heat stability, and UL94 V-0 flame retardancy. Applications include thermal management for electronic devices, transportation trays for lithium-ion battery cells, HVAC insulation, and foam cores for fiber-reinforced plastic composites.
Additionally, Asahi Kasei’s mPPE XYRON supports the production of slotted waveguide array antennas for automotive millimeter-wave radars. Its wet-platability allows injection molding, bypassing costly milling processes required for metal antennas, thus reducing production costs and improving scalability.
Visitors can explore these innovations at Asahi Kasei’s booth in Hall 8a, Booth E23. Further details are available at https://k-2025.asahi-kasei.eu/.
