Press Release Back Number(2006)

New Series of PLASH Brand Plastic Raw Material with Coal Ash

June 26, 2006
Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc.

Working with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Chubu Electric has developed two plastic products made with coal ash derived from the Hekinan Thermal Power Station. The products are a high-strength plastic raw material (PLASH-GF) and a recycled plastic raw material (PLASH-REA). Manufacture of the new products begins this month at Mitsuboshi Kemikaru Corporation, a producer of plastic raw materials.

The new PLASH-GF was created by adding glass fiber to the existing PLASH*1, thereby doubling tensile strength, bending strength and impact strength. The material is suited for applications requiring great strength, including building materials (such as packing for dwellings and OA flooring).

*1 PLASH is a mixture of polypropylene (plastic raw material) and fly ash (super fine coal ash). It has several advantages over plastic made of polypropylene alone, including greater bending strength and resistance to wear.

The other new product, PLASH-REA, is a 100% recycled product that combines fly ash with plastic (EEA*2) discarded because of damage, deterioration, etc. This is a more pliant raw material than standard PLASH and has about four times the impact strength.

*2 Ethylene ethyl acrylate, a plastic raw material used for example in covers of electric power equipment.

The addition of these two new plastic raw materials to the PLASH series will expand its applications to include building materials demanding high strength, and to home electronics, automobile components and eco-friendly gardening supplies.

Chubu Electric will continue to develop new products making effective use of coal ash.

Major characteristics of the newly developed products are as below.


(1) Eco-friendly plastic raw material from recycled coal ash

(2) PLASH-GF

  • i. Improved tensile strength and bending strength
  • ii. High heat resistance

(3) PLASH-REA

  • i. 100% recycled eco-friendly raw material
  • ii. Improved impact strength (more flexibility)

Overview of development of PLASH series of plastic raw material with coal ash

1. Development background


  • (Joint developer) Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    President: Kazuo Tsukuda
    Address: Mitsubishi Juko Building, 2-16-5 Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo
    TEL: 03-6716-3111
  • (Manufacturer / dealer) Mitsuboshi Kemikaru Corporation
    President: Kazuo Iwata
    Address: 2266-1, Masaki-cho Suka Aza Shimodaira, Hashima City, Gifu Prefecture
    TEL: 058-392-3228

2 Properties of PLASH series


Properties Polypropylene from
Company A		 PLASH PLASH-GF PLASH-REA
Tensile strength [MPa] 22.5 21.6 51.6 5.5
Bending strength [MPa] 31.4 45.9 92.4 8.7
Impact strength [kJ/m2] 7.1 3.0 6.7 11.2
Density [kg/m3] 900 1400 1322 1442
Heat deflection
temperature [°C]		 114 131 160 -

3 PLASH series product molding process