September 23, 2024 – Polyolefin Elastomers (POE), an emerging material in the chemical industry, have been gaining prominence across various sectors due to their unique performance advantages. POE, a random copolymer derived from the copolymerization of ethylene and α-olefins, exhibits high elasticity and toughness akin to rubber at room temperature, while being capable of plastic molding at elevated temperatures. Its thermoreversibility, exceptional mechanical properties, weather resistance, and processing rheological properties, coupled with good compatibility with polyolefin materials and cost-effectiveness, have led to its widespread application in photovoltaic cells, automotive components, aerospace, and 5G/6G communications.
Historically, the core technology and intellectual property rights for POE were primarily held by foreign companies such as Dow Chemical, ExxonMobil, and Mitsui Chemicals. However, on December 15, 2023, the successful commissioning of the first domestic POE industrial plant, the 30,000 tons/year special polyolefin and ancillary project by Beijing Boeun Billion Company, marked the inception of POE localization in China. According to Color Masterbatch Industry Network, driven by demand from the photovoltaic, automotive, and polyolefin industries, the domestic POE market has been continuously expanding, with over twenty companies engaging in POE research and development, some achieving industrial production at the ten-thousand-ton scale.
Currently, POE projects are proliferating across China, with major petrochemical enterprises actively deploying their strategies. Boeun Billion Technology has planned a capacity expansion of 500,000 tons at its production bases in East and South China. Wanhua Chemical’s first-phase 200,000 tons/year POE project has been successfully commissioned, and the second-phase 400,000 tons/year project is under construction. Satellite Chemical, Lianhong New Materials, and Dingjide, among others, have also announced progress on their POE projects. Furthermore, numerous enterprises including Zhejiang Petrochemical, Chengzhi Shareholding, Tianjin Petrochemical, Maoming Petrochemical, Oriental Shenghong, and Lanzhou Petrochemical have ventured into the POE domain. Statistics indicate that by 2030, the total planned and under-construction POE capacity in China will exceed 4.5 million tons/year, signaling a rapid transformation in the industry landscape.
In the POE localization process, technological breakthroughs in crucial aspects such as catalysts, monomers, and polymerization reaction process control are vital. Although catalyst technology remains relatively confidential and localization progress has been slow, domestic enterprises continue to strive for advancements. Meanwhile, α-olefins, a key raw material in the POE supply chain, are also mastered by a limited number of companies. Nevertheless, with domestic enterprises’ technological breakthroughs and capacity expansions, the challenges of POE localization in China are gradually being overcome.
Apart from POE, Ethylene-based Polyolefin Elastomers (EPOE) and Propylene-based Elastomers (PBE) are also noteworthy polyolefin elastomers. EPOE, using only ethylene as a raw material without the need for α-olefin monomers, boasts lower production costs and excellent product performance, enabling the substitution of high-end polyethylene elastomers. PBE, primarily composed of propylene, exhibits high elasticity, high transparency, and low-temperature toughness, with high compatibility with numerous polyolefin products. Presently, enterprises have successfully developed EPOE and PBE products, which have gained widespread market acceptance.
Overall, with domestic enterprises’ technological breakthroughs and capacity expansions in POE, EPOE, and PBE, China’s self-sufficiency rate for high-end polyolefin elastomers will continuously improve, accelerating the pace of domestic substitution. In the future, these materials will play crucial roles in more sectors, driving the sustained development of the chemical industry.