Announcement
On July 22, 2026, Daicel Corporation’s High Performance Polymers (HPPs) Strategic Business Unit, formerly Polyplastics Co., Ltd., announced the launch of four new DURACON® polyoxymethylene (POM) grades that incorporate 30 % post‑consumer recycled (PCR) material.
Product Details
The new grades are classified as standard, low VOC, sliding, and tough. The standard PCR‑POM grade delivers a melt flow rate of 9, while the low VOC grade meets OEM‑specified low‑VOC requirements. The sliding grade provides significantly improved sliding characteristics, and the tough grade matches the performance of virgin POM grades.
Development Background
These PCR‑POM grades were first unveiled at CHINAPLAS 2026 in Shanghai during April. Since 2023, Daicel has operated the DURACIRCLE® re‑compounding service, which recycles plastic scrap collected from customer plants. Initially focused on post‑industrial recycling (PIR), the service now extends to PCR‑POM that utilizes POM previously used in the market as a recycled raw material.
Performance & Quality Assurance
Daicel highlighted that a major challenge in PCR material usage is variability in properties and the need for consistent quality. Leveraging its long‑standing compounding expertise and quality‑control technologies, the company confirmed that key mechanical properties remain comparable to conventional grades even with 30 % recycled content, based on in‑house test conditions.
Applications and Market Adoption
DURACON® POM is positioned for a wide range of industrial sectors, offering high mechanical strength, rigidity, excellent wear resistance, superior sliding properties, and high dimensional stability. It is already being used in applications such as gears, connectors, precision parts, and automotive components.
Future Development
Daicel indicated that further development activities are underway to expand the PCR‑POM portfolio and meet a broader set of customer needs across additional applications.
Additional Information
For more details, interested parties can visit the Daicel HPPs website. DURACON® is a registered trademark of Daicel Corporation in Japan and other jurisdictions.