【Frontiers in HaiChuan Chemical Technology】Chinese research team breaks through key technologies for the industrial production of high-performance liquid crystal polyaromatic ester fibers

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Recently, the industrialization technology for the key equipment and core processes involved in the synthesis of liquid crystal polyaromatic esters and the production of fibers, developed under the leadership of Donghua University, passed the project appraisal organized by the China National Textile and Apparel Council. This project was carried out jointly by Donghua University, Ningbo Hegaier New Materials Technology Co., Ltd., Jiangmen Dezhongtai Engineering Plastic Technology Co., Ltd., and Guangdong Xingju Materials Technology Co., Ltd. After rigorous evaluation by the appraisal committee, it was unanimously concluded that the overall outcomes of the project have reached an internationally advanced level. It marks a fundamental shift in our country’s field of high-performance liquid crystal polyaryl ether (LCP) fibers, from long-term reliance on imports to self-sufficiency and control. Liquid crystal polyaromatic ester fibers possess excellent comprehensive properties such as ultra-high strength, high modulus, heat resistance, low dielectric loss, and dimensional stability in extreme environments; they are thus premium materials that are indispensable in key fields related to strategic security, such as aerospace and electronic communications. Donghua University began independent research in 2008, and in 2019 it was the first to complete the entire laboratory process, achieving validation through pilot tests. The success of this industrialization marks not only that the project team has overcome scientific challenges, but also that it has provided a solid guarantee for the security of related industry chains in our country. It is reported that the core innovation of this project lies in its integrated independent innovation that covers the entire process from aggregation to spinning and heat treatment; it overcomes the scale-up engineering barriers ranging from core equipment to complete manufacturing processes, and establishes a comprehensive system of independent intellectual property rights as well as stable production processes. At present, the products have reached international advanced levels in terms of general specifications, and they surpass others in high-performance areas such as high-strength, fine-denier, and colored fibers.