Contents

•  Introduction
• Mission
• Vision
• Research Centers & Equipments
• Research Teams
• Achievements

 

INTRODUCTION

Polymer research group is a subsidiary of the Petrochemical Research and Technology company (NPC-RT) which was formed in 2002, with the aim of  i) accomplishing basic and applicable studying in the field of  polymeric materials and catalysts which are produced or consumed in the petrochemical industries, ii) cooperation with petrochemical complexes in order to eliminate problems and dilemmas in variety of work fields such as: process, domestic catalyst and replacement and product development especially in polyolefin field, and  iii) preparing know-how and PDP of top priority polymer materials whether to manufacture in Iran or not, iv)improvement and development of domestic polymers and catalysts know-how.

MISSION

 Polymer research group is fulfilling the following missions:

·         Implementation of unity management system in the field of the polymeric catalysts, process research and development.

·         Proposing and performing research plans based on road map.

·         Trouble-shooting activities in the petrochemical complexes.

VISION

Become an outstanding knowledge base unit, owner of the know-how of most polymers and their catalysts.

RESEARCH CENTERS & EQUIPMENTS

The projects in this group are done in three centers of NPC-RT; including the research and technology center of Tehran, Arak and Mahshahr Special zone. Equipped laboratories and workshops exist in each center with the state of art equipments. The following table demonstrates the main equipments of the polymer research group in three centers.

Research Center	Main Equipments
Tehran	Olefins feed purification system  Equipped systems for support preparation, Ziegler-Natta and metallocene catalyst production (0.5-1 kg per batch)  Semi-automatic polymerization system of polyolefins in lab scale with possibility of reaction kinetic investigation  Full automatic starta for olefins polymerization in slurry, bulk or gas phase  Anti-explosion boxes for secure polymerization  Nitrogen glove-box for catalysts and materials sensitive to oxygen or humidity  Autoclave system of Buchi-type reactor for engineering polymers preparation  Full equipment and machines for catalysts identification and analysis  Full equipment and machines for polymers identification and analysis
Arak	PTMEG(poly tetra methyl ether glycol)  pilot plant with a capacity of 10 tons per year  ACP(Advanced casecade polymerization) pilot plant for polyethylene polymerization in a capacity of 150 kg polymer per hour based on Lyodell Basell Hostalen  ACP process  Ziegler-Natta catalyst pilot plant production in a capacity of 4.5 tons per year  Gas phase polymerization pilot plant  Full equipment and machines for catalysts and polymers identification and analysis  EPDM terpolymer ptroduction in pilot plant
Petro Zone	PET(polyethyleneterphthtalate)  polymerization pilot plant  PVC polymerization demo plant  Semi-industrial demo plant of VAM (vinyl acetate monomer)  HD/PP pilot plant in a capacity of 16-25 kg polymer per hour for polyolefins polymerization similar to Mitsui process  Full equipment and machines for catalyst and polymers identification and analysis

 

Most of the lab scale projects are done in Tehran center and scale up and pilot tests of the projects are performed in Arak and Petro zone centers.

RESEARCH TEAMS

Polymer research group consists of several research teams which comprise of academic and industrial experts. These teams take a step forward by specified strategies and goal oriented schedules. Determination of short and long term targets, defining and performing critical projects and holding regular meetings, help these teams to approach the determined targets.

 A short overview on the targets and priorities of the teams are as follows:

ü  High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) And Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) Research Team

Polyethylene has the most usage rate of thermoplastics in the world. In 2011, more than 2.3 million metric tons of production has been reported in Iran.

 

TARGETS:

Technology monitoring Achieving HDPE production technology Providing chemicals, additives and catalyst Process developing (modification and optimization) Products developing Supporting to solve environmental problems Presenting technical services to HDPE industrial plants and supporting to solve the operating problems.

 

 Polypropylene Research Team

      TARGETS:

•  Knowledge, improvement and development of polypropylene production processes.

PRIORITIES:

•  Studying & understanding the catalysts and processes efficiency of the domestic polypropylene plants
•  Identification, research and following the developments of  competitors and external companies
•  Identifying and resolving the problems of production plants
•  Investigating the varied grades of complexes for process evaluation and grade development
• Identification & investigation of process parameters effects on the quality of polypropylene
•  Kinetic investigation, modeling and simulation of technologies related to polypropylene production processes
• Achieving the propylene polymerization know-how
•  Process optimization & development of polypropylene production in NPC complexes

 

 Polyolefin catalysts research Team

     TARGETS:

•   Achieving know-how of different types of Ziegler-Natta catalysts.
•   Improvement and development of consumable Z-N catalysts in Iran.

     PRIORITIES:

•  Achieving the know-how of Z-N catalysts for ethylene polymerization
• Semi industrial production of polypropylene catalyst
•  Achieving the know-how of metallocene catalysts for ethylene and propylene polymerization in lab scale
•  Identification of latest worldwide achievements and progresses in catalyst field
•  Studying the efficiency  of consumable catalysts in polyolefin plants with the aim of achieving the know-how of the catalysts and promotion of its efficiency  

  Butene-1  Research Team

Butene-1 research group was established in the Petrochemical R&T Co. in 2012 for knowledge, exchange of industrial and academic experiences and views in order to give scientific and technical support to the α-olefin plants. At present, this team consists of related experts which follow the short and long-term targets.

TARGETS:

•  Knowledge and improvement in Butene-1 production processes
•  Providing the catalysts & chemicals used in the butene-1 plants
•  Technical & scientific support of Butene-1 plants

PRIORITIES:

•  Improving the catalyst efficiency
•  Production of the heavier α-olefins
•  Trouble-shooting
•  Conversion of butene-1 to the high value-added products

 

Polyethylene Terephthalate Research Team

TARGETS:

•  Knowledge and improvement of poly ethylene terephthalate production process
•  Development of consumable catalysts for ethylene terephthalate production
•  Grade development of the Khuzestan petrochemical complex productions

PRIORITIES:

•   Production of various PET grades including: fiber, film and bottle grade
•  Investigating the production procedures of new generation of polyesters including : PET, PBT and PPT
•   Investigating the kinetic and performance of some universal co-monomers in comparison with present ones.
•   Improving the quality of various grades by using additives not mentioned in license and implementation of result in industrial unit
•   Kinetic and performance investigation of some universal catalysts compare with present ones
•   Investigating & offering methods for scaling up the results of pilot plant to industrial unit, and using lab results in continuous reactors
•   Production of biodegradable PET and nano-composite PET

 Styrenic Polymers

TARGETS:

•   ِ Development and optimization of domestic processes in production of Polystyrenes
•  Preparing know-how and Process design Package of new technologies in production of polystyrenes

 

PRIORITIES:

•   Identification and investigation of latest worldwide achievements and progresses in technologies
•   ِResearch by the aim of development and optimization of domestic process in  production of Polystyrenes
•   ِResearch by the aim of Preparing know-how of new technologies in production of polystyrenes
•   Understanding of market demands and producing new grades according to market demands
•   Resolving problems and dilemmas (troubleshooting activities in polystyrene production plants)
•   Studying  the effect of operating parameters on the product quality
•   Identification and investigation of various replacements efficiency for consumable additives

 Rubber Research Team

TARGETS:

•   Product and grade development of rubber products in the petrochemical ccomplexes.
• Ø  Achieving the  know-how of strategic and top priority rubbers
• Ø  Consulting and troubleshooting the  rubber downstream industries’ problems

PRIORITIES:

•   Achieving the know-how of NBR rubber
•   Achieving the know-how of EPDM rubber

 

  Packaging Research Team

One of the last steps in the production chain of petrochemicals is packaging that its importance is the same as quality of products packaged in it. Such points of view makes it necessary to achieve a desired quality in package and try to maintain, even improve it. Based on research activities, this could be fulfilled through packaging team includes experts from packaging lines of petrochemical companies as well industries producing packaging items. On behalf of thoughts and ideas generated, exchanged and finally presented by such combination of members, planning to gain the following main targets and following priorities of research team would be feasible.

TARGETS:

•   Quality improvement in packaging and its maintaining
•   Cost reduction of packaging
•   Identifying the packaging systems and its new trend

 

PRIORITIES:

•   Resolving problems and removing drawbacks related to the use of varied packaging employed in the petrochemical companies
•   Determining the worldwide trend of packaging instruments and items
•   Improvement in the packaging lines through

·         Reduction of dimension or weight of package

·         Reduction of energy consumption

·         Reduction of scraps from packaging lines

•   Watching new events in the field of packaging instruments and items
•   Determining factors of desirable packaging lines

 

  Engineering Resins Research Team

Engineering resins are thermoplastic and thermoset polymers with excellent properties and good performance due to their unique structural characteristics. Some of these resins include polycarbonate, polyamide 6 and 6/6, acrylic polymers, polyacetals, polyphenylene oxide, PTFE, polysulfones, epoxy resins, polyketones and polyimides. According to the NPC-R&T company policy, engineering resins research team which holds academic and industrial expert people has been formed in order to prepare research plans and perform supervision.

TARGETS:

•   Preparing PDP of engineering resins manufacturing
•   Developing know-how of engineering resins manufacturing
•   Optimization of engineering resins manufacturing processes
•   Product development (in reactor)
•   Trouble-shooting activities in engineering resins manufacturing plants

 

 Polyvinyl Chloride Research Team

Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) is the world’s third most widely used thermoplastic. In recent years its production in the country has made considerable development, so given the importance of developing comprehensive research on this matter for industry and university has increased.

TARGETS:

•    Increasing annual capacity of suspension PVC production units
•   Equalizing the consumable materials of PVC units
•   Grade development
•   Achieving the know-how of initiators
•   Achieving the know-how of suspending agents
•   Development of PVC compounds
•   Development of PVC recovery
•   Developing the environmental charter of PVC
•   Achieving know-how of PVC copolymers

PRIORITIES:

•   Knowledge & improvement in suspension PVC process of Bandar-Imam petrochemical complex
•   Trouble shooting of PVC units
•    Knowledge in emulsion PVC process of Arvand petrochemical complex
•    Preparation of data-bank related to production processes & market of PVC
•   Achieving know-how of preparation of PVC nanocomposites by in-situ polymerization
•   Achieving know-how of micro-suspension PVC

ACHIVEMENTS

Some of the outstanding achievements of this group are as follows:

·	Pilot Production Of PE80 S (Pipe Grade Polyethylene) By SAC510 Catalyst(Domestic NPC-RT Production Catalyst) In Amir Kabir Petrochemical Complex
·	Scaling Up Bi-Supported Catalyst Preparation To 50 Kg/Batch For Gas Olefin Polymerization
·	Achieving Know How Of Ziegler-Natta Catalyst For Gas Phase Polymerization Of Olefins In Lorestan Petrochemical Complex In Bench Scale
·	Achieving Know How Of Ziegler-Natta Catalyst For Gas Phase Polymerization Of Olefins In Jam Petrochemical Complex In Bench Scale
·	Achieving Know-how of Ziegler Natta catalyst for HDPE slurry process and industrial production of HDPE injection grade by this catalyst in the Marun petrochemical complex
·	Achieving Know-How Of PZ Catalyst In Lab And Pilot Scale for the Mehr Petrochemical complex
·	Achieving Know-How Of Ziegler Catalyst Used In Production Of  Multi-Modal Polyethylene In Lab Scale
·	Achieving the know-how of innovated Z-N catalyst for slurry polymerization of ethylene in pilot scale
·	Replacement of  Sanctioned catalysts in the gas phase polyethylene unit of  the Jam Cetrochemical co. by other types of Z-N catalysts
·	Achieving Know-how of Z-N catalyst for poly propylene production in lab scale
·	Improving The Performance Of The Catalysts Applied In The Slurry PE Processes Using Promoters.
·	Production Of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene.
·	Achieving Know-How  Of Flame Retardant PET In Pilot Scale
·	Production Of Ethylene Propylene Dien  Monomer (EPDM) And Ethylene Propylene Rubber (EPR) in lab scale
·	Achieving Know-How Of polyvinyl alcohol(PVA) in lab scale
·	Achieving Know-How Of poly methyl methacrylate(PMMA) in pilot scale
·	Achieving Know-How Of epoxy vinyl ester resin in pilot scale
·	Developing of know-how of gradual initiator addition to S-PVC reaction media in lab scale
·	Achieving know-how of preparation of S-PVC with variable temperature in lab scale