Jinzhou Petrochemical’s highly stable homogeneous neodymium catalyst has been patented

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On March 31, the patent titled “Preparation and Application of a Highly Stable Homogeneous Neodymium Catalyst”, applied for by Jinzhou Petrochemical Research Institute, was authorized by the **Intellectual Property Office. 　　It is reported that rare earth catalysts, being the key element in the production of rare earth cis-butadiene rubber, have a complex reaction mechanism and a difficult-to-control reaction process, which has long been a technical challenge in this industry. In the preparation of traditional homogeneous neodymium catalytic systems, it takes a certain amount of time for the homogeneous agent to combine with the active centers of neodymium metal. There are strict requirements regarding parameters such as temperature and duration during the aging process. This not only directly affects the activity of the polymerization reaction as well as the structural properties of the resulting products, but it also makes process control difficult and prone to fluctuations in production. This is precisely the core reason why many rubber manufacturers struggle to achieve the desired product performance levels along with effective process control. 　　Focusing on the pain points in the industry, Jinzhou Petrochemical Research Institute made targeted efforts. Building on the existing system, it introduced new electron-donating ligands and optimized process parameters such as the ratio of various components and the aging temperature, thereby increasing the reaction rate between these components and reducing the aging time. As a result, it successfully developed a technology for producing highly stable homogeneous neodymium catalysts. When applied to the polymerization of butadiene, this technology helps maintain the product’s microstructure within a narrow range of fluctuations, thereby significantly improving the stability of the product’s properties. It provides a technical foundation for the steady and efficient production of rare-earth cis-butadiene rubber. 　(Zhou Huiying, Li ChuanGuang)