Polyisobutylene Sector Needs to Expand Applications
Year:2017 ISSUE:14
COLUMN:POLYMERS
Click:306 DateTime:Jul.24,2017
Polyisobutylene Sector Needs to Expand Applications
By Yu Minglei, PetroChina East China Design Institute Co., Ltd.,
Li Tingqiang, PetroChina Jilin Petrochemical Co., Ltd. Acrylonitrile Plant
China’s polyisobutylene (PIB) capacity in 2016 was around 169 kt/a. In China, PIB varieties are classified in one dimension as either low molecular weight PIB or medium molecular weight PIB, and at the same time in another dimension, as industrial grade or food grade. The main producers of low molecular weight, high reactivity PIB are Nanjing BASF-YPC Co., Ltd. and Jilin Petrochemical Co., Ltd. The major producer of medium molecular weight PIB is Shandong Yuhuang Chemical (Group) Co., Ltd., operating a 20 kt/a PIB unit. Both industrial-grade and food-grade varieties are produced by Hangzhou Shunda Group Polymer Material Co., Ltd. Table 1 shows the major PIB producers in China in 2016.
Table 1 Major PIB producers in China, 2016
Producer Capacity (kt/a) Product variety Remarks
Nanjing BASF-YPC Co., Ltd. 50 High reactivity PIB Production started in November 2011. BASF process is used.
Jinzhou Jinex Lubricant Additives Co., Ltd. 30 Low molecular weight PIB Mixed C4 is used as feedstock.
Jilin Petrochemical Co., Ltd. Fine Chemicals Plant 20 High reactivity PIB Boron series (BF3) catalyst system is used.
2 (temporarily shut down) Medium molecular weight PIB The 4.5 kt/a low molecular weight PIB unit is renovated to a 2 kt/a medium molecular weight PIB unit. Boron series (BF3) catalyst system is used.
Shandong Yuhuang Chemical (Group) Co., Ltd. 20 Medium molecular weight PIB The product molecular weight is 30 000-100 000. The unit was completed in 2013.
Shandong Hongrui Petrochemical Co., Ltd. 10 Low molecular weight PIB Trial run was conducted in December 2008. The medium molecular weight PIB unit has expanded its capacity to 10 kt/a (both industrial-grade variety and food-grade variety can be produced).
10 Medium molecular weight PIB
Lanzhou Luborun Lanlian Additives Co., Ltd. 12 Low molecular weight PIB Mixed C4 is used as feedstock.
Hangzhou Shunda Group Polymer Material Co., Ltd. 6 Medium molecular weight PIB (both industrial grade and food grade) Either aluminum series catalyst system or boron series catalyst system can be used. Aluminum series is used today.
4 Low molecular weight PIB (food grade)
Xinjiang Xinfeng Co., Ltd. 5 Low molecular weight PIB Mixed C4 is used as feedstock.
Total 169
Consumption increase coming
High reactivity PIB (HRPIB) capacity in 2016 was 80 kt/a. Oversupply is quite evident.
With domestic oil product quality constantly being improved, a product made from PIB, polyisobutylene amine will likely be added to various oil products, as it is an excellent oil product modifier. So demand for HRPIB is expected to increase drastically, at an annual rate of 10%.
In the domestic market, medium molecular weight PIB comes mainly from BASF of Germany, Hangzhou Shunda Group Polymer Material Co., Ltd. and Shandong Yuhuang Chemical (Group) Co., Ltd. Food-grade medium molecular weight PIB is an excellent raw material for the gum base of chewing gums and can also be used to make medical plasters.
Owing to the rapid development of the market for adhesive insulation for glass (mostly windows), applications of medium molecular weight PIB have already quickly expanded from high-grade buildings to conventional buildings, air-conditioned trains, air-conditioned passenger cars, refrigerators and display cabinets. In sealing strips, the usual content of medium molecular weight PIB is around 20%. Insulating glass has a dual sealing structure. The content of medium molecular weight PIB in the first seal can exceed 40%. As requirements for energy conservation and environmental protection are increasingly stringent, the consumption of medium molecular weight PIB will increase constantly, and the market prospects are extremely bright.
Downstream, the product chain of PIB also includes combustion property modifiers, polymer modifiers, gum-based foods and food packages. With the ongoing development of sectors such as special sealing materials and foods demand for medium molecular weight PIB will likely be promoted in the next few years. Table 2 shows the supply/demand of PIB in China during 2011-2016.
Table 2 PIB supply/demand in China, 2011-2016 (t)
Year Output Apparent consumption
2011 98 475 126 719
2012 105 180 129 925
2013 49 200 71 400
2014 64 000 85 473
2015 50 000 64 371
2016 56 000 88 512
Table 3 China’s foreign trade in PIB, 2008-2016 (t)
Year Import volume Export volume
2008 12 047 12 842
2009 19 000 6 683
2010 28 233 4 876
2011 34 234 5 990
2012 28 752 4 007
2013 27 024 4 824
2014 27 946 6 473
2015 26 444 12 073
2016 39 301 6 789
Foreign trade
In 2016, market demand recovered, and import of PIB increased drastically, while export returned to 2014’s level. Table 3 shows China’s PIB import/export during 2008-2016 (including PIB in primary form and in other forms such as boards, sheets and belts).