Breakthrough progress has been made in the industrial application of domestic catalysts at the Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Technology

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On the 8th of the month, good news came from Yangzi Petrochemical: The metallocene polyethylene EG01 catalyst, developed independently by the Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Technology, successfully completed industrial application tests in a gas-phase polyethylene production facility, yielding high-quality low-density film resin products – marking a milestone achievement. This marks the first time that industrial production of membrane materials, which require high production standards, has been achieved using this catalyst. It lays a solid foundation for the industrial application of domestically produced metallocene catalysts as well as for the development of metallocene polyethylene products. It also represents a crucial step forward in achieving self-sufficiency and control over high-end chemical materials in China. Metallocene catalysts: Key weaknesses and potential solutions in the high-end polyolefin industry. Metallocene catalysts possess excellent copolymerization properties, offering performance advantages in the production of high-end polyolefin films, as well as products used in the automotive and medical device industries. Foreign companies have established strong technical and market barriers by relying on their extensive patent portfolio and their advantage of being the first to achieve industrialization. Taking metallocene polyethylene as an example, the current import dependence is over 80%. With increasing uncertainties in global industrial and supply chains, developing metallocene catalysts and related resin technologies represents an important approach to overcoming the barriers to advanced development in the polyolefin industry and addressing the imbalance in its product structure. Among metallocene polyethylene products, low-density films are one of the most widely used categories in China, holding the largest market share. Thanks to their excellent mechanical strength, puncture resistance, and good optical transparency, they are the preferred material for applications such as heavy-duty packaging bags, long-lasting agricultural film, and multi-layer composite films. Beihua Institute achieves breakthroughs in domestic production through collaborative efforts in industry, academia, research, and application. The institute has been actively engaged in the research and development of metallocene catalysts and related products for many years. To effectively meet the industry’s urgent demand for high-end membrane materials, BEIC relies on Sinopec’s integrated \"industry-university-research-application\" collaborative research framework to form specialized teams for joint efforts in this area. Under the strong organization and coordination of the Group Company’s Chemical Business Department and Science and Technology Department, the R&D team at Beihua Institute carried out in-depth technical collaborations with enterprises such as Yangzi Petrochemical, Qilu Petrochemical, Maoming Petrochemical, and Catalyst Co., Ltd. Focusing on the production characteristics of low-density membrane materials, they implemented systematic optimizations to the EG01 catalyst, successfully achieving a comprehensive improvement in its overall performance. During the industrialization test at Yangzi Petrochemical, the production units operated smoothly and efficiently, with the EG01 catalyst demonstrating excellent adaptability to the units and good compatibility with the process. Tests have shown that its key technical parameters, such as hydrogen sensitivity, copolymerization performance, and polymer bulk density, all reach the same level as those of imported catalysts of similar type. The resin products manufactured using this catalyst meet all the performance requirements specified for 181F membrane materials ； Test results from film blowing applications show that key quality parameters such as the product’s crystallization points are essentially comparable to those of films produced using imported catalysts. The success of this industrial application test fully demonstrated the excellent performance and reliability of the metallocene catalysts independently developed by Beihua Institute, breaking the long-term reliance on imported catalysts for the production of high-end metallocene polyethylene films. It also provided valuable practical experience for the large-scale adoption and promotion of similar technologies. This technological breakthrough not only enhances China’s level of independent innovation in the field of high-end polyolefin catalysts, but also provides crucial support for driving the petrochemical industry toward a strategic transformation from a focus on scale to one focused on high quality and sophistication. It will help to improve the quality of the downstream film manufacturing industry and strengthen the autonomy and control over the industrial chain and supply chain. In the future, BEIC will continue to optimize metallocene catalysts, drive technological advancements, and accelerate the industrial application of its own technologies, striving to contribute to ensuring China’s autonomy and control over high-end chemical materials.