Covestro is collaborating with Fairphone, a Dutch social enterprise building a market for ethical smartphones, on the use of circular material solutions for its smartphones. Fully and partly recycled TPU are used in the protective case of the Fairphone 3 and the Fairphone 4, and partly recycled polycarbonates are additionally used in the newer device.

Products from Covestro's PCR polycarbonate portfolio are used in the Fairphone 4's rear device cover, middle frame and wireless charger. With a PCR content of 30 to 50%, this Makrolon portfolio has physical properties comparable to virgin material and offers good impact strength, balanced flow behavior, and high stiffness and flame retardancy to ensure a long service life while reducing CO2 emissions by 30% compared to virgin material.

Covestro is helping smartphone manufacturer Fairphone achieve its sustainability goals.

Covestro has also developed a new range of recycled and partially recycled TPUs of the Desmopan brand, which are now used in the protective cover of the Fairphone 4 and are certified according to RCS (Recycled Claim Standard), an international standard for the traceability of recycled raw materials within supply chains.

This includes the product Desmopan 3095AU RC100, which was developed after identifying several streams of post-industrial recycled plastics.

The fully recycled material exhibits the advantages of TPU, for example, high chemical and abrasion resistance, but easier processability because it melts at lower temperatures and flows better than virgin material. The product has proven itself when used in the protective case of the Fairphone 3 and is now being used in the Fairphone 4.

Partly recycled polycarbonates from Covestro are used in the new Fairphone 4, including a completely recycled TPU in the protective case.

Fairphone devices are known for their modular design, which favors better repairability. Such a design requires materials with robust mechanical properties to enable repeated disassembly and repair.

The glass-fiber-reinforced grade of the Makrolon PCR portfolio offers a good solution for the heavily stressed center frame of the Fairphone 4. The increased stiffness and impact resistance are in line with Fairphone's modular design approach.

Covestro thus also supports a mono-material approach in each case for the use of polycarbonates in the housing and TPU plastics in the protective cover to facilitate recycling of the smartphones at the end of their useful life.

Covestro is collaborating with Fairphone, a Dutch social enterprise building a market for ethical smartphones, on the use of circular material solutions for its smartphones. Fully and partly recycled TPU are used in the protective case of the Fairphone 3 and the Fairphone 4, and partly recycled polycarbonates are additionally used in the newer device.

Products from Covestro's PCR polycarbonate portfolio are used in the Fairphone 4's rear device cover, middle frame and wireless charger. With a PCR content of 30 to 50%, this Makrolon portfolio has physical properties comparable to virgin material and offers good impact strength, balanced flow behavior, and high stiffness and flame retardancy to ensure a long service life while reducing CO2 emissions by 30% compared to virgin material.

Covestro is helping smartphone manufacturer Fairphone achieve its sustainability goals.

Covestro has also developed a new range of recycled and partially recycled TPUs of the Desmopan brand, which are now used in the protective cover of the Fairphone 4 and are certified according to RCS (Recycled Claim Standard), an international standard for the traceability of recycled raw materials within supply chains.

This includes the product Desmopan 3095AU RC100, which was developed after identifying several streams of post-industrial recycled plastics.

The fully recycled material exhibits the advantages of TPU, for example, high chemical and abrasion resistance, but easier processability because it melts at lower temperatures and flows better than virgin material. The product has proven itself when used in the protective case of the Fairphone 3 and is now being used in the Fairphone 4.

Partly recycled polycarbonates from Covestro are used in the new Fairphone 4, including a completely recycled TPU in the protective case.

Fairphone devices are known for their modular design, which favors better repairability. Such a design requires materials with robust mechanical properties to enable repeated disassembly and repair.

The glass-fiber-reinforced grade of the Makrolon PCR portfolio offers a good solution for the heavily stressed center frame of the Fairphone 4. The increased stiffness and impact resistance are in line with Fairphone's modular design approach.

Covestro thus also supports a mono-material approach in each case for the use of polycarbonates in the housing and TPU plastics in the protective cover to facilitate recycling of the smartphones at the end of their useful life.