Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) plans to make vehicle liner material and other interior surfaces from a new bio-PET-based “Ecological Plastic”. Bio-PET consists of 70% terephthalic acid and 30% monoethylene glycol, by weight. Monoethylene glycol is replaced with a biological raw material derived from sugar cane.
Ecological plastic is the collective name of plastics developed by Toyota for automobiles and that use plant-derived material and are more heat- and shock-resistant than conventional bio-plastics. The bio-PET-based Ecological Plastic developed with Toyota Tsusho Corporation is characterized by enhanced performance (heat-resistance, durability performance, shrink resistance) compared to conventional bio-plastics and performance parity with petroleum-based PET; the potential to approach the cost-per-part performance of petroleum-based plastics through volume production; and usability in seats and carpeting and other interior components that require a high level of performance unattainable by hitherto Ecological Plastic.
Ecological Plastic has the benefit of being more carbon neutral than conventional petroleum-based plastics, meaning it can lessen product-life-cycle CO2 emissions; use of it can contribute to a reduction in the use of limited petroleum resources.
14-Oct-10 
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