DENSO Corp. (Kariya, Japan) is using plant-derived nylon resin to produce automotive radiator end tanks. It is the first time that a bioplastic has been used in mechanical components exposed to the hot, chemically aggressive underhood environment. The new material, Zytel 610, addresses automakers’ need for sustainable solutions.

Engineers at DENSO collaborated with scientists at DuPont Automotive (Troy, M). The new material contains 40 percent renewable content by weight derived from the castor bean plant. It also meets requirements for exceptional heat resistance, durability and road salt resistance. Those attributes were difficult to deliver with many resins containing a high percentage of plant-derived ingredients.

“Today’s business climate – with demands for innovation in the face of intense cost pressures – is driving the engineering community to rethink the design and manufacture of automotive components and systems,” says Patrick Ferronato, global director, development and marketing at DuPont Automotive. “It’s challenging us all to use design and engineering strengths to the fullest and to drive ‘engineering strategy’ beyond procurement price. At the end of the day, we must be cost-neutral at best. Collaboration for innovation is our best strategy to deliver economically and environmentally sustainable solutions.”