Zeon, Riken & Yokohama Develop Process For Production of Isoprene from Biomass

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Zeon, in joint research with the national research and development Agency Riken and Yokohama Rubber, has successfully synthesized isoprene from biomass, which can then be used for the production of polyisoprene, as per Apic-online.

"We were able to discover a new method for synthesizing isoprene by designing an artificial metabolic pathway using in silico metabolic design technology, used for designing the metabolic pathways of a microorganism at a genomic scale on a computer," Zeon explained. Commercialization is expected by the early 2020s.

The chemical structure of polyisoprene is similar to that of natural rubber, Zeon noted, adding that the new technology will not only reduce the use of fossil fuel, but is also expected to provide a supplemental raw material for natural rubber.

The three partners have been jointly researching the production of synthetic rubbers from biomass since 2013.

As MRC wrote before, in 2013, Zeon started a new solution styrene butadiene rubber (SSBR) plant on Singapore's Jurong Island. The plant is expected to have an initial capacity of 35,000 mt/year. The company was tentatively planning to double capacity in 2015-2016 but will watch the market demand for SBR first before deciding on this. The SBR produced at the plant will be used for tires, with SBR's key feedstocks being butadiene (60%) and styrene monomer (35%).

Zeon has three synthetic rubber plants with a total production capacity of 270,000 mt/year, which can produce SBR, butadiene rubber, as well as isoprene rubber.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF was again included in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World), said the company on its site.

The company has been especially recognized for its engagement in the areas of innovation management, environmental and social reporting, product stewardship and human capital development. The DJSI World is one of the most renowned sustainability indices and represents the top 10 percent of the largest 2,500 companies included in the Dow Jones Global Index.

The BASF share has been included in the DJSI World for the 15th consecutive year. The listed companies have to demonstrate continuous improvement every year with regard to sustainability and are assessed by analysts from asset manager RobecoSAM.

As MRC informed earlier, at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, Kurt Bock, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE, Klaus Schafer, Member of the Board of Management, E.ON SE, Pierre Chareyre, Executive vice-president of ENGIE, Rainer Seele, Chairman of the Executive Board of OMV and Ben van Beurden, Chief Executive Officer of Royal Dutch Shell signed a Shareholders’ Agreement on implementation of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project to enhance supply of natural gas to the European Union’s market.

BASF is the leading chemical company. It produces a wide range of chemicals, for example solvents, amines, resins, glues, electronic-grade chemicals, industrial gases, basic petrochemicals and inorganic chemicals. The most important customers for this segment are the pharmaceutical, construction, textile and automotive industries.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Lubrizol Advanced Materials has presented a new, fast, high heat TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) material for hot melt adhesives (HMAs), said the producer.

Lubrizol has developed a new thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) for high performing HMAs used in diverse markets like footwear, automotive, filtration, apparel interlinings, textiles, sports goods and packaging.

Until recently, materials used in these applications were limited to copolyamides and copolyesters to achieve a good initial adhesion in a few seconds and high-heat resistant performance. Thanks to Lubrizol's industry-leading formulation technology, a new material with elastomeric features has been launched that outperforms traditional materials based on its polyurethane chemistry. This new, fast, high-heat material adds improved impact resistance, adherence (higher polarity) and vibration absorption vs. competitive materials.

"This new, unique TPU solution provides a higher life cycle expectation due to its toughness at lower temperature cycles and its lower glass transition," states Gonzalo Lowenberg, global R&D manager for adhesives applications & technical service, Estane Engineered Polymers. "Now, thanks to the solution formulated by Lubrizol, there is a revolutionary new crystalline TPU chemistry that has broken the barriers of the traditional TPU adhesive market."

As MRC informed previously, in 2013, Lubrizol, an innovative specialty chemical company, announced a four-year, USD400 million global expansion of its chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) resin and compounding manufacturing sites. With continued strong global demand for the company's CPVC compounds, Lubrizol's expansion efforts will be divided into two phases.

The Lubrizol Corporation, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is an innovative specialty chemical company that apart from its production develops and supplies technologies to customers in the global transportation, industrial and consumer markets. Lubrizol"s advanced polymer technology delivers exceptional performance for the plumbing, fire sprinkler, industrial and other building and construction related applications. Lubrizol is providing innovative solutions for its customers" high-performance application needs and remains committed to ongoing investment in its CPVC capabilities that support future growth.
mrcplast.com

MOSCOW (MRC) - Russia's imports of suspension polyvinyl chloride (SPVC) fell by 4 times to about 47,300 tonnes in the first eight months of the year. At the same time SPVC exports from Russia increased to 27,100 tonnes, up 12 times year on year, as per MRC DataScope.

Local companies have significantly increased imports volumes of PVC on the back the maintenance works at SayanskKhimPlast and Bashkir Soda Company. August SPVC imports into Russia rose to 24,200 tonnes, compared with 11,700 tonnes in July because of the significantly increased supply from China and the USA. PVC imports into the country decreased to 47,300 tonnes in January - August 2015, compared with 196,700 tonnes year on year.

The bulk of the suspension of imports in August occurred for producers from China, supply of acetylene resin rose to 16,400 tonnes compared with 9,500 tonnes in July. Back in June, some Russian companies began to actively import resin from the United States, and in August the North American PVC imports increased to 4,300 tonnes.

August SPVC deliveries from Europe did not exceed 3,500 tonnes. August exports of Russian SPVC did not exceed 300 tonnes (excluding supplies to Belarus) compared with 600 tonnes a month earlier because of the outage at some plants. Russia's SPVC exports over the first eight months of the year grew to 27,100 tonnes, compared with 2,200 tonnes year on year.


MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - Consumption of polycarbonate (PC) in Ukraine decreased to 1,900 tonnes in January-August 2015, down 37% compared to the same period last year, according to a MRC DataScope report.

Demand for unmixed PC granules decreased to 1,800 tonnes in 2014, down 30% year on year. The reduction in the PC consumption resulted from the hryvnya devaluation, lower purchasing capacity of the population and a shortage of material in the European market.

Styron cut its shipments most of all (by two-fold year on year) to 220 tonnes. Sabic Innovative Plastics reduced its shipments to Ukraine by 27% to 721 tonnes.

To date, Bayer is the leading PC supplier to the Ukrainian market. The producer exported 797 tonnes of PC to Ukraine, down by 10% year on year.
Buying activity remained below average in the local PC market. The revival of the demand for PC is not expected to be in September.

PC imports (particularly, for special purpose PC grades) continued to decrease, despite the last month's stabilisation of the national currency.
The bottle grade PC market proved to be the most stable over the stated period. Its consumption remained unchanged and was 466 tonnes.

The extrusion grade PC market decreased most of all over the reported period to 239 tonnes, down 65% year on year. The injection moulding PC segment totalled about 1,000 tonnes over the said period, down by 20% year on year.

As before, traders tried to work with customers exclusively on contract basis and to import goods under specific projects. The spot PC market was practically absent in the country. Customers complained about the absence of such injection moulding grades in the market, as Calibre (Styron) and Wonderlite (Chi Mei).

Bayer's Makrolon was the most popular in the injection moulding segment. Ukrainian buyers said they could freely receive the required quantities, if necessary, because of the recent relative stabilisation of the European PC granules market.


MRC