New Materials
The new chemical materials industry is a high-tech, high-value-added industry focused on basic materials related to the development of various major fields of the national economy including the energy, industry, communications, transportation, construction, and more. Sinochem International seeks to step up the pace of the development of its new materials business, and continues to work to amplify its strengths in the area of epoxy resin and polymer additives, etc., as well as cultivate its presence in high-potential industries such as the ABS and aramid industries as part of its efforts to promote the green development of high-end manufacturing.
Epoxy Resin
Against of the backdrop of the national goals of peak carbon dioxide emissions by the year 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060, the transformation of the energy structure has been accelerated and the domestic wind power industry has developed rapidly. Sinochem International’s epoxy resin product, which is a high-performance material, has high environmental tolerance, low shrinkage, and good mechanical properties. It is the preferred base material for the preparation of large wind turbine blades as its use can help ensure the operating efficiency and service life of said blades in harsh environments.
In addition, epoxy resin can also be used in for insulation and packaging purposes in the case of electronic and electrical products such as smartphones, tablet computers, copper-clad laminates, and PCB printed circuit boards, as well as in the industrial coatings used in automobiles, ships, containers, etc., and the floorings in factory workshops, schools, and underground garages, etc. It is an important basic material for the development of new energy, new infrastructure, and other fields.
Sinochem International has directed its efforts towards the epoxy resin industry for nearly 15 years, and its production facilities in Yangzhou and Lianyungang bases have a production capacity of up to 350,000 tons per year, placing the company at the top in the country.
ABS Engineering Plastics
ELIX Polymers, a professional supplier of high-quality ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) and a member company of Sinochem International, develops and produces eco-friendly ABS products for the automobile manufacturing, medical, electrical equipment, electronic equipment, and other industries. With the ECO ABS-NF thermoplastic, new generation ABS/PC, bio-based ABS (ABS/PLA), low-density electroplating ABS/PC, and other materials it has developed, the company has turned in an outstanding performance in terms of reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions.
In February 2021, ELIX officially launched "E-LOOP," a green brand that represents its circular economy initiatives in the areas of products, designs, and services and its long-term goal of helping ELIX, its customers, and partners to achieve sustainable development together. Then, in July, ELIX launched its first E-LOOP products, the E-LOOP H801 MR and the E-LOOP M220 CR25, which are manufactured using mechanically recycled materials and ISCC Plus-certified chemically recycled materials. The E-LOOP product line minimizes the use of fossil resources based on the principle of recycling and regeneration, thus promoting the development of a circular economy for thermoplastics and product recycling, reducing our carbon footprint, and aiding in climate protection.
PA66
PA66 offers high mechanical strength and good fiber elasticity, and is widely used in high-end engineering plastics and high-end industrial fibers, including the manufacture of automotive components, electrical and electronic devices, cord and airbag fabrics, and yarns for civilian use, inter alia.
After years of research and development, the company has independently developed China’s first full-process processing technology for “catalyst preparation - hexamethylenediamine synthesis - PA66 polymerization”, breaking the foreign monopoly on the technology for and supply of PA66’s key raw material, and improving China’s independent ability to control the PA66 production chain and level of supply security. Compared with the traditional process, its advantages include more easily obtained raw materials, lower investment required, no highly toxic chemicals, and higher levels of safety and environmental protection.
High-performance Membranes
Mankind faces enormous challenges in the area of water resource management due to climate change, resource constraints, and other factors. The development of innovative technologies and solutions has become the best approach to promote the green transformation of the water treatment industry. With its cutting-edge innovations in separation membrane technology, Sinochem International has helped to promote the development of the circular economy and sustainable development with its provision of membrane materials and products such as reverse osmosis membranes, nanofiltration membranes, degassing membranes, electrically driven ionic membranes and water purification equipment that are widely used in zero-discharge, ultrapure water, sewage reuse, seawater desalination, brackish water desalination, special separation, and water purification setups, etc.
Polymer Additives
Additives are indispensable in the preparation of polymer materials such as plastics, rubber and fibers. As the market trends towards low-carbon and high-efficiency materials, the development production of new, green and high performance additives is now needed more than ever.
Sinochem International’s rubber additive products can improve the quality and service life of rubber products such as motor tires, and at the same time, green formulas are used to aid the development of an environmentally friendly motor tire industry.
In 2021, Sinochem entered the international plastic additives business, further growing its portfolio of products with items such as photostabilizers and flame retardants. Photostabilizers are used to shield from, or absorb, ultraviolet light, slow down photochemical reactions, delay or prevent photoaging, and extend the life of plastics, while flame retardants are used to effectively ensure the safety of plastics and greatly reduce the flammability of plastics.
Aramid Fiber
High-performance fibers are an important part of China’s emerging industries strategy. With their high strength and modulus, etc., Sinochem International’s para-aramid products have broad applications in the fields of electronic communication, lightweight materials, environmental protection, protective equipment, and marine development, etc., providing customers with complete technical solutions.
Hydrocarbon Resin
The rapid development of the communications industry has led to new requirements needs in terms of the dielectric properties of traditional resins, and the applications of higher-performance hydrocarbon resins for communication base station PCBs have become more salient. Sinochem International has, on the basis of its high-performance polyolefin resin project, further developed hydrocarbon resin that offer the advantages of low dielectric loss and slow dielectric constant. These resins can meet the current industry demands for high frequencies and high speeds, and have broad market application prospects.
At present, the Sinochem International Science and Technology Innovation Center is in a partnership with Kumho Yangnong, which has yielded several formula samples that are currently being tested.