CATHAY INDUSTRIAL BIOTECH
Production of bio-based polyamides increased / Strong demand from customers and new markets
 Cathay already produces DN5 and long-chain PAs at its plant in Jinxiang (Photo: Cathay) |
China’s Cathay Industrial Biotech (Shanghai; www.cathaybiotech.com/en) is expanding production of bio-based long chain dibasic acids (LCDA), bio-pentanediamine (DN5) and bio-polyamide (bio-PA). A new production facility in Wusu, Xinjiang province, will add 50,000 t/y of DN5, 100,000 t/y of bio-PA and 150,000 t/y of LCDA. The initial phase of the project, to cost more than USD 500m, is expected to be complete by May 2017.
The company has also broken ground at its existing plant in Jinxiang, Shandong province, where it is expanding capacity of DN5 and associated long-chain PAs. Shanxi Lu’an Mining (Group) invested USD 135m to fund the expansion.
A privately owned industrial biotechnology company, Cathay said it was the first in the world to commercialise a new bio-based PA monomer for the textile and engineering polymer market. It makes DN5 by converting starch from natural sources, including biomass.
The company has been producing LCDAs by converting vegetable oils or hydrocarbon fractions from oil or coal via fermentation since 2003. It said polymerisation of these two monomers provided a broad range of bio-based PAs, including PA 5.6, PA 5.11 and PA 5.12 with unique and new performance properties.
The PAs, named “Terryl” and “Ecopent”, are said to have a special softness, inherent flame retardance, good moisture absorption, high strength and wearability as well as being easy to dye and spin. They can also be blended with other fibres.
Xiucai Liu, Cathay’s CEO, said customer response to the bio-based materials had been overwhelming. “Doubling our LCDA capacity provides supply security for customers and meets the demands of new markets that Cathay has recently developed,” he commented.
The company has also broken ground at its existing plant in Jinxiang, Shandong province, where it is expanding capacity of DN5 and associated long-chain PAs. Shanxi Lu’an Mining (Group) invested USD 135m to fund the expansion.
A privately owned industrial biotechnology company, Cathay said it was the first in the world to commercialise a new bio-based PA monomer for the textile and engineering polymer market. It makes DN5 by converting starch from natural sources, including biomass.
The company has been producing LCDAs by converting vegetable oils or hydrocarbon fractions from oil or coal via fermentation since 2003. It said polymerisation of these two monomers provided a broad range of bio-based PAs, including PA 5.6, PA 5.11 and PA 5.12 with unique and new performance properties.
The PAs, named “Terryl” and “Ecopent”, are said to have a special softness, inherent flame retardance, good moisture absorption, high strength and wearability as well as being easy to dye and spin. They can also be blended with other fibres.
Xiucai Liu, Cathay’s CEO, said customer response to the bio-based materials had been overwhelming. “Doubling our LCDA capacity provides supply security for customers and meets the demands of new markets that Cathay has recently developed,” he commented.
29.06.2016 Plasteurope.com [234411-0]
Published on 29.06.2016