China Introduces in Butadiene Rubber Technology

The Sichuan branch of Sinopec Group has inked a technical agreement on neodymium rare earth butadiene rubber reform project, making it the first Chinese company introducing in butadiene rubber technology.

At the same time, the marginal benefit of Sinopec Sichuan’s butadiene rubber products reached nearly 7,200 yuan/ton, making the product a potential money maker.

Because of the strategic importance of butadiene rubber products, foreign countries have blocked the technology of butadiene rubber production.

Current butadiene rubber production technology in China is seriously outdated.

Modern auto industrial development has increasingly high requests on the performance of tires, particularly in terms of safety, economy, and environmental protection.

Butadiene rubber produced from neodymium rare earth is more wear resistant and fatigue resistant, becoming the preference of high-performance tires.

Currently, China’s own neodymium butadiene rubber has just completed mid-test and is under the mileage test by tire producers, but key technical issue hindered mass production of such product.

As the spread and application of neodymium rare earth butadiene rubber in China, Sinopec Sichuan took the lead in launching technical communication and feasibility study with overseas companies with advanced neodymium butadiene rubber techniques.

After full technical preparation, Sinopec Sichuan, Qingdao Weishi Catalysis New Material Technology Co., Ltd., the technology transferor, and Shandong Sunway Petrochemical Engineering Share Co., Ltd., the designer, signed a tripartite agreement.

According to the agreement, after partial restructuring, Sinopec Sichuan is to reach a designed annual capacity of neodymium butadiene rubber of 50,000 tons on the basis of existing nickel butadiene rubber facilities with annual capacity of 150,000 tons.

The restructuring project has introduced in Russian techniques, under which the products have been supplied to global leading tire companies, including Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear and Continental.