Heraeus Precious Metals and Sibanye-Stillwater have launched a joint R&D project for cost-efficient glass fibre bushings.
The initiative focuses on platinum-palladium (PtPd) alloys enhanced through Heraeus’ proprietary dispersion hardening (DPH) technology.
The goal is to enable more economical glass fibre production while supporting the development of new palladium applications.
Bushings, specialised furnaces, are a critical component in the manufacturing of glass fibres.
The market continues to see strong global demand growth driven by construction, automotive, wind energy, and electronics applications.
Traditionally, bushings are made from platinum due to the metal’s excellent high-temperature stability.
The collaboration aims to partially substitute platinum with palladium to achieve lower material costs and increase demand for palladium.
A key challenge lies in identifying the optimal alloy composition.
While increasing palladium content can reduce costs, excessive substitution may compromise mechanical strength and lifetime under high-temperature operating conditions.
To address this, Heraeus will apply and further adapt its proprietary DPH process – an oxide dispersion strengthening (ODS) technology – to enhance the material’s resistance and durability.
The project will cover alloy development prototyping and customer validation, planned over a two-year period.
The aim is to bring market-ready bushing solutions that are specifically tailored to glass fibre applications such as E-glass fibres.
These are alumino-borosilicate glass fibres used for production of reinforced plastics, including printed circuit boards and wind turbine blades.
For Sibanye-Stillwater, the collaboration is part of a broader strategy to foster new demand streams for palladium and support more balanced demand for platinum group metals (PGMs) that better match the basket of supply.
By enabling the substitution of platinum in industrial applications, the project contributes to unlocking additional value for palladium while addressing evolving market dynamics.
Thomas Stenger, Head of Business Line Functional Materials at Heraeus Precious Metals, said: “By combining our expertise in advanced materials engineering with Sibanye-Stillwater’s strength in PGM supply, we aim to unlock new pathways for cost-efficient glass fibre production.
“Our DPH technology enables us to tailor alloy properties in a way that balances performance and cost, making this approach particularly attractive for applications where economic efficiency is critical.”
The collaboration reflects both companies’ commitment to driving improvements in platinum group metal applications and addressing evolving market demands through material efficiency and technological advancement.