CHIMEI Announces the World’s First Optical Light Guide Plate Made from Chemically Recycled MMA

CHIMEI Corporation today announced its successful implementation of chemically recycled MMA in optical light guide plates for displays. The light guide plates use recycled MMA, which can maintain the same optical characteristics as the virgin MMA. CHIMEI plans to begin mass production of the recycled MMA light guide plates in Q3, 2023. CHIMEI has successfully introduced new solutions and created new areas for recycled materials in displays. It has reached an important milestone for the sustainable circular journey of displays.

In order to fully realize circular recycling and carbon reductions, CHIMEI is working with the supply chain to develop and use various sustainable materials, including mechanical recycling, chemical recycling, and biomass materials. As an important international PMMA acrylic pellet and light guide plate supplier, CHIMEI has actively evaluated recycling technologies suitable for optical materials in response to the customers’ expectations for recycled material usage. Additionally, CHIMEI possesses years of manufacturing experience and superior technical abilities related to optical materials and plates. The company is the first to successfully introduce recycled MMA optical light guide plates in the market. CHIMEI’s achievement shattered the idea that recycled materials can only be used for exterior parts. The company has successfully shown that recycled materials can be used in key optical components, reaching an important milestone for the sustainable circular journey of displays.

CHIMEI’s recycled MMA uses chemical recycling. The PMMA waste recycled by CHIMEI and its customers is processed through pyrolysis and restored to MMA. This process can reduce the use of new MMA. It uses less energy and the carbon reduction effect is expected to reach 40%. In the future, recycled MMA can be used in CHIMEI PMMA, MS, and MABS products, increasing the circular benefits.

CHIMEI has long been dedicated to the development of recycled materials. In 2016, the company first started deployment of mechanical recycling and established the PCR plastic materials recycling supply chain and has already become an important PCR ABS, PCR PC, and PCR alloy supplier. For this success, CHIMEI ventured into the more technical area of chemical recycling. CHIMEI aimed to make greater contributions towards the development of circularly recycled materials.

About CHIMEI Corp.

CHIMEI is a Taiwan-based performance materials company that designs and manufactures advanced polymer materials, synthetic rubbers, and specialty chemicals.

Source: Chimei