Trimet and Nexans have developed a material with recycled aluminium content for the production of aluminium rod used in electrical cables.
The partners want to provide a new product able to meet the high technical requirements regarding mechanical properties and conductivity of the alloy while reducing the product’s carbon footprint. ‘Until now, power cables have been manufactured exclusively on the basis of primary aluminium,’ they argue.
Trimet and Nexans cite energy savings as a plus and material impurities as a downside of using scrap. The collaborative project is hoped to optimise raw material supply and innovative material development. For example, Nexans has refined the sorting of aluminum scrap at its production sites in Europe through RecyCâbles, a Nexans-Suez joint venture, while gearing its collection to recycling for electrical cables.
Meanwhile, Trimet has closed the material cycle with its recycling concept and used the scrap obtained to develop a high-quality alloy that meets the full range of quality requirements for mechanical and electrical performance.
Learn more: Recycling International 