China’s first technology for \"direct hydrocyanation of butadiene to produce adiponitrile\" has passed the evaluation for scientific and technological achievements

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This post was last edited by goldliyang on 2016-8-20 at 11:50. On September 29, 2015, the \"technology for synthesizing adiponitrile through direct hydrocyanation of butadiene,\" developed jointly by **** Engineering Co., Ltd., **** Chemical Co., Ltd., and **** Technology Co., Ltd., passed the evaluation meeting for scientific and technological achievements held in Beijing by the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation. Academician Jin Yong of Tsinghua University and other experts present listened to a detailed report from the project team. After inquiries and discussions, they unanimously agreed that this achievement is in line with the \"12th Five-Year Plan\" for the petroleum and chemical industry; it falls under the category of technologies and products that are encouraged for development as listed in the \"Guidance Catalogue for Industrial Structure Adjustment\" (2013 edition). It can replace imported products, help generate foreign exchange through exports, and enhance the competitiveness of the nylon 66 industry, with its overall technology reaching a leading level in China. The fully integrated pilot-scale continuous production plant for the synthesis of adiponitrile via direct hydrocyanation of butadiene with a capacity of 50 tons per year has been in operation for over 30 days now; the process parameters remain stable, the product quality meets the required standards, and the process technology is viable. The purity of hexanitrodiamine and other relevant parameters of this product meet the requirements for raw materials used in the production of nylon 66 salts, reaching an advanced level comparable to that of international products of similar kind. It is reported that this technology uses butadiene, methanol, and ammonia as raw materials, and employs a catalyst system developed independently to create a method for synthesizing adiponitrile through the \"direct hydrocyanation of butadiene\" process. This includes techniques such as the primary hydrocyanation of butadiene to produce valeronitrile, the isomerization of methylvaleronitrile, the synthesis of adiponitrile from valeronitrile, and the purification of hydrocyanic acid to remove impurities. Three Chinese invention patents have been granted for this technology, which features strong technological innovation and possesses independent intellectual property rights. This is undoubtedly a boost for China’s nylon industry! This indicates that the successful operation of China’s 50,000 tons per year industrial plant for synthesizing adiponitrile using the \"direct hydrocyanation of butadiene\" method, which breaks foreign monopolies, is just around the corner! Background: Adiponitrile is the main raw material used in the production of nylon-66, which finds wide applications in the electronics, light industry, and other fields of organic synthesis. Its excellent mechanical properties make it suitable for use in special tires for aircraft, combat vehicles, and other military applications; it is therefore an essential material for national defense. It also serves as a metal substitute in modern cars to reduce weight and consumption. As shown in the image, the red link is hexanitrocin! Simply due to the lack of adiponitrile, China’s entire nylon industry chain is incomplete, preventing the formation of a complete industrial system. Since adiponitrile is entirely dependent on imports, and import quotas impose restrictions, China’s high-value-added nylon 66 industry has stalled and is unable to meet the growing domestic demand for nylon 66. However, due to a severe shortage of adiponitrile, China is currently unable to produce it domestically and must import it entirely from abroad as a raw material for nylon 66. Foreign countries have imposed a complete technical blockade on China in this regard, which allows foreign monopolistic companies to easily control the normal development of China’s entire nylon industry, including sectors such as transportation, textiles, electronics, and military products, by controlling the supply of adiponitrile. As a result, prices remain high, severely affecting the economic efficiency of China’s nylon industry as well as its competitiveness in international markets. It can be said that controlling adiponitrile is equivalent to controlling China’s nylon industry! Abroad, only large companies such as Invista, Asahi Kasei, and BASF produce adiponitrile; in particular, Invista (using the butadiene process) almost monopolizes the global trade in adiponitrile. Yet in Asia, where global economic growth is fastest at present, there is a severe shortage of production capacity, especially as China has become a net importer of adiponitrile, hexamethylenediamine, and nylon chips worldwide. In May of this year, Nvidia announced that there were force majeure issues affecting the supply of its adiponitrile, hexamethylenediamine, as well as nylon salts and Nylon 66 polymer products located in the Wichita area of Kansas, United States. Henan Pingmei Shennma Nylon Chemical Co., Ltd. is the largest producer of nylon 66 in Asia; its hexamethylenediamine production capacity had to be reduced by 30% in the second quarter, which led to a decrease in nylon 66 production as well.