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What are the key milestones in the development of high-gloss impact-resistant polypropylene, which was once one of Sinopec’s \"Ten Dragon\" key project initiatives? Let’s take a look: Impact-resistant polypropylene is composed of continuous homopolymer propylene along with ethylene-propylene copolymer (rubber phase) dispersed within it; the homopolymer propylene provides the product with rigidity (resistance to deformation), while the dispersed rubber phase contributes to the product’s toughness (impact resistance). The presence of the rubber phase results in a significant decrease in the gloss of the product; conventional impact-resistant polypropylenes, when they achieve an optimal balance between stiffness and toughness, have a gloss level of less than 60%. Properties of polypropylene such as rigidity, toughness, melt index, and glossiness influence one another. To increase glossiness while maintaining a good balance between rigidity and toughness, new structural control parameters and new technologies are required. Some large polypropylene manufacturers abroad have successively introduced high-gloss impact-resistant polypropylene products, but the range of product grades is relatively limited, and the market is still in its developmental stage. The challenge in developing high-gloss impact-resistant polypropylene products lies in enhancing the mechanical properties of such polypropylene while maintaining high gloss levels, as well as improving their processability so that they can be used in a wider range of applications. This enables them to meet the various differentiated needs of users, gradually replacing existing materials and filling market gaps. The comprehensive performance of the high-gloss impact-resistant polypropylene products developed by Sinopec has surpassed that of imported products. Moreover, the product range is extensive and the melt index spectrum is wider, enabling it to meet the needs of different users. ◆In 2017, electrical appliance manufacturers such as Haier Group expressed the need to produce high-gloss impact-resistant polypropylene. ◆In 2018, the development of high-gloss impact-resistant polypropylene technology was initiated, becoming one of Sinopec’s “Ten Key Projects”. ◆In March 2018, the technical team overcame the technical challenges and determined the optimal structure for impact-resistant polypropylene, one that balances gloss and toughness. ◆From June to August 2018, the project entered the pilot production phase, during which research was conducted on the production process for the target grade of high-gloss impact-resistant polypropylene. ◆In September 2018, high-gloss impact-resistant polypropylene was successfully produced for the first time at Zhenhai Refining & Chemical Company, with the performance of the M10RG product exceeding that of imported products. ◆In October 2018, high-gloss impact polypropylene was successfully produced for the first time at Maoming Petrochemical, giving rise to MG22 – the first high-gloss impact polypropylene product on the market with a melt index of 20. ◆In April 2019, high-gloss impact-resistant polypropylene MG10 was successfully produced at Qilu Petrochemical, with significantly improved performance compared to the product from 2017. ◆In June 2019, high-gloss impact-resistant polypropylene was successfully produced for the first time at Zhongsha (Tianjin) Petrochemical. This marked the first production of this product using the Spherizone process. The first product meeting the criteria of high melt flow index, high impact resistance, and high gloss – EP548G – was thus introduced to the market. ◆In July 2019, EP548G was successfully tested at the Chongqing Haier Industrial Park, and the high-gloss impact-resistant polypropylene product entered the market for large household appliances. ◆From March to April 2020, Maoming Petrochemical and Zhenhai Refining & Chemical each used for the first time catalysts with independent intellectual property rights developed by Beijing Institute of Chemical Technology to produce high-gloss impact-resistant polypropylene, resulting in improvements in both production capacity and product quality. ◆In July 2020, Maoming Petrochemical’s high-gloss impact-resistant polypropylene product MG15 was successfully produced for the first time. ◆In September 2020, Qilu Petrochemical used for the first time catalysts with independent intellectual property rights developed by Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Technology to produce high-gloss impact-resistant polypropylene, resulting in an improvement in product quality; in the loop reactor plants, 100% of the high-gloss impact-resistant polypropylene produced utilized domestically manufactured catalysts. ◆In November 2020, the project on \"Development of High-Gloss Impact-Resistant Polypropylene Technology\" passed the evaluation, and the annual production volume of the product exceeded 10,000 tons. ◆In December 2020, the “Development of High-Gloss Impact-Resistant Polypropylene Technology” project was successfully completed.