Innovation Leads High Quality Development Of Chemical Industry And Textile Industry

Hu Qianlin, Deputy Secretary General of China Federation of petroleum and chemical industries, and Liu shouchang, professor and doctoral supervisor of Zhengzhou University's School of chemistry, said in a recent visit to "kechuangqunyinghui" that the selective hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexene is in the leading and key position in the chemical and textile fields. It is the basic chemical technology for nylon production and can help solve the problem of resource waste and environmental pollution Environmental pollution and other issues; the catalytic technology of selective hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexene has important practical significance to support the high-quality development of chemical industry and textile industry; the promotion and application of catalytic technology for selective hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexene has broken the foreign monopoly and firmly grasped the key core technology related to the national economy and people's livelihood.

Host: what is the status of catalytic technology for selective hydrogenation of benzene to Cyclohexene in chemical and textile fields? What specific problems can be solved?

Liu shouchang: the catalytic technology of selective hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexene is in an important position in the chemical and textile fields. It is the basic chemical technology for the production of nylon 6 and nylon 66. It can help solve major problems related to the national economy and people's livelihood, such as resource waste and environmental pollution.

The carbon atom utilization rate of traditional production technology is less than 80% for basic organic chemicals such as cyclohexanone, adipic acid, caprolactam, nylon-6, nylon-66, etc. The catalytic technology of selective hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexene has the advantages of 100% utilization of carbon atom, nearly zero emission of "three wastes" and short process flow. Cyclohexanone is mainly used to produce caprolactam, caprolactam and adipic acid are mainly used to produce nylon-6, nylon-66 fiber and engineering plastics. Nylon fiber and engineering plastics are widely used in textile, automobile, electronic and other industries, and play an important role in the development of national economy. In the 1980s, caprolactam in China mainly depends on imports. In 1995 and 2005, China twice imported benzene selective hydrogenation catalytic technology from abroad, but the catalyst was "stuck" and had to be purchased from foreign countries and limited supply, which directly caused the production of textile and other related industries unable to increase significantly. The popularization and application of catalytic technology for selective hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexene has broken the foreign monopoly and firmly grasped the key core technology related to the national economy and people's livelihood in China's own hands.

Host: what obstacles have you and your team encountered in the promotion and application of catalytic technology for selective hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexene? How to solve this problem?

Liu shouchang: since 1998, the obstacles encountered by the team are not only the catalyst preparation technology, but also the key equipment, complete equipment and process flow for selective hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexene. Starting from the basic research, we revealed the heterogeneous catalytic mechanism and scientific essence of benzene selective hydrogenation. We used the electronic and geometric effects of the second metal to control the properties of the active center, and used hydrophilic substances to control the surface properties of the catalyst, and invented a single-layer dispersed catalyst, which effectively prevented the intermediate product cyclohexene from further hydrogenation to cyclohexane, and realized the high concentration of cyclohexene It has high selectivity and high yield. Through the combination of production, teaching and research, after two pilot tests, the key equipment, complete set of equipment and process flow matching with the catalyst have been formed. In 2010, the first generation of 40 / 80 catalyst was industrialized. In August 2020, a new generation of 50 / 80 catalyst was successfully industrialized.

Host: what are the far-reaching impacts of the new generation of benzene selective hydrogenation catalyst on China's chemical and textile fields?

Hu Qianlin: first of all, it has important practical significance to support green development and high-quality development of chemical and textile industries. At present and the "14th five year plan" period is the key period for high quality development of chemical industry and textile industry. High quality development requires us to implement the new development concept of "innovation, coordination, green, openness and sharing", in which green development is an important connotation. Green development is an inevitable requirement for the construction of a modern economic system. We must not separate the protection of ecological environment from economic development, let alone oppose each other. We should insist on protecting in development and developing in protection. It is necessary to correctly handle the relationship between green water, green mountains and golden mountains, build a green industrial system and spatial pattern, and guide the formation of green production and lifestyle. "Selective hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexene has the advantages of short production process, energy saving, high efficiency, environmental friendliness and good atom economy", which is a green technology. This technology is of great practical significance to realize green, low-carbon and sustainable development in chemical and textile fields in China.

Besides, it can be widely used in the production of high-value chemicals such as nylon, cyclohexanone and so on.

Thirdly, benzene selective hydrogenation catalyst is a new catalyst. The scientific principle and formed technology revealed in the development process of the catalyst can provide reference for the development of other catalysts. The catalytic technology is the most important key common technology in the chemical industry. Therefore, the successful development of this technology has a positive role in promoting the technical progress of the industry.

Moderator: 50 / 80 catalyst has been successfully used in production. What new plans will you have for the next R & D work?

The next step of our research and development of catalyst is Liu shouchang. At present, the new generation of 50 / 80 catalyst has not changed the existing device and process. The 60 / 80 catalyst must change the subsequent equipment and process such as extraction separation and cyclohexene hydration, and the task will be more arduous.

Host: if the above patented technology can be fully spread in the petrochemical industry, can you predict the changes in three years for us?

Hu Qianlin: in terms of direct economic benefits, the production capacity of each unit will be increased by 25%, including the saved hydrogen, water, electricity, etc. each year, one set of device will increase the economic benefit of the enterprise by more than 150 million yuan, and that of 20 units will increase by 3 billion yuan each year. Second, the technology can provide support for the supply side structural reform of the chemical industry. At present, textile, electronic and electrical, automobile, rail transit and other downstream industries have large demand for nylon 6 and nylon 66 products. This technology can increase the production capacity of Cyclohexene by 25% without increasing investment, which can avoid blind investment and improve effective supply. Third, the promotion of new technology can greatly improve the production technology level and market competitiveness of cyclohexanone, adipic acid, caprolactam and other products in China.