Cambridge, UK-based Aqdot reports significant interest from major automotive fabric suppliers with its AqFresh additive technology during 2022.

This technology significantly reduces VOCs (volatile organic compounds), which are known to be detrimental to health, in automotive interior materials,

Over 60 different VOCs have been detected in car interiors – from plastics, mouldings, carpets, upholstery, adhesives, lubricants and leather and vinyl treatments. The common compounds found in car interiors include toluene, ethylbenzene, styrene, alkanes, xylenes and trimethyl benzenes.

AqFresh supra-molecular powder has been incorporated into nonwovens, coated textiles and plastics that are typically found in automotive interior parts and proven to significantly reduce their VOC and odour emissions. The patented technology utilises Cucurbiturils – barrel-shaped molecules with a hollow hydrophobic cavity and polar portals, enabling them to tightly bind a wide spectrum of unwanted molecules.

AqFresh has been proven to be effective in rigid plastic parts such as PP for dashboards, into which it can be incorporated via compounding or polymer masterbatch. It has been added into the manufacturing process of PVC coated textiles and VDA-270 sensory panel tests clearly demonstrate a reduction of odours of 1-1.5 points.

The unique technology has also been applied to nonwoven materials through dry impregnation as well as by spraying and padding during the finishing process.

It captures a wide range of pollutants and malodours, is not affected by normal changes in environmental conditions, and is non-toxic.

www.aqdot.com