Sumitomo Chemical builds plastic with biomass LCP

Sumitomo Chemical has announced to have successfully established mass production technology for liquid crystal polymer (LCP) using a monomer derived from biomass materials. Sumitomo Chemical claims to be a global leader in the LCP market and it strives to accelerate the development of a mass production system for bio-based LCP leveraging this technology. It is aiming to obtain customer certification by the end of fiscal 2026 and to begin supplying the product from fiscal 2027.

LCP is a type of super engineering plastic that excels in heat resistance and fire resistance. It is used in a wide variety of applications, including materials for electric and electronic components in smartphones, automotive parts, and office automation equipment.

Most of the raw materials used in such industrial applications are currently derived from fossil resources, and in recent years, there have been growing calls to switch all industrial product materials to biomass materials in an effort to achieve a sustainable society.

In the LCP manufacturing process using biomass materials that it has successfully developed, Sumitomo Chemical has adopted a segregation approach that completely separates biomass materials from other materials during production. This approach enables precise control of the biomass content and can clarify how much biomass materials are included in the product.

In addition to the segregation approach, there is another approach called mass balance, in which when biomass materials and other materials are mixed to manufacture a product, the characteristics of the biomass materials is allocated to part of the output of the product based on the proportion of biomass materials used in the manufacturing process. Sumitomo Chemical plans to meet customer needs by considering the unique features of each of these approaches.

To achieve a sustainable society, technological innovations for the effective use of non-fossil resources and the reduction of GHG emissions are of utmost importance. In recent years, significant progress has been made in the industrial application of synthetic biology, driven by rapid technological advancements through the integration of biotechnology and digital technology.

By combining the chemical technologies that it has cultivated for many years as a diversified chemical manufacturer with synthetic biology, Sumitomo Chemical aims to develop high-performance products that are difficult to produce through traditional chemical synthesis alone and to enhance energy efficiency in manufacturing processes.

Sumitomo Chemical will continue to strive to develop innovative technologies and open up new business areas to achieve a circular economy.