Recently, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) signed a joint development agreement (JDA) with two Chinese plastics industry companies – Shandong Lianxin Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. and Hangzhou Hemai Technology Company. The agreement aims to scale up and pilot CO2
(CO2 ) and renewable resource monomers produce environmentally friendly polycarbonates (PCs).
KAUST Distinguished Professor Yves Gnanou and Dr. Xiaoshuang Feng (Xiaoshuang
Feng and his research team have made major breakthroughs in the field of green chemistry. They designed an innovative method to synthesize CO2-based aliphatic degradable polycarbonate, eliminating the need for toxic metals commonly used in traditional manufacturing processes. Feng Xiaoshuang explains: “Today’s aliphatic polycarbonates are produced using metal catalysts, which hinders their use in food or medical-grade applications. Our PC is metal-free, oxygen-impermeable and moisture-proof, making it a high-end Top-quality materials applied. With a CO2 (one of the most important greenhouse gases) content of nearly 50% by weight, our products will start their life cycle with a negative carbon footprint.”
In early 2023, two Chinese companies expressed interest in bringing King Abdullah University of Science and Technology’s polycarbonate to the market in phases. In the initial phase, Hangzhou Hemai Technology Co., Ltd. will provide equipment to expand the synthesis scale of polycarbonate to 10 kilograms under the KAUST agreement. In the second phase, Shandong Lianxin Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. will use its industrial equipment to conduct pilot production of high molar mass polycarbonate, striving to achieve a production capacity of 1 ton and achieve full industrialization.
Gnanou
The professor noted: “This is the first time a comprehensive plan for the industrialization of high molar mass aliphatic polycarbonates has been developed through a joint development agreement, which is based on the pioneering chemical technology of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and can synthesize low and high molar mass polycarbonates. Carbonate.”
Today, there are very limited application examples for high and low molar mass aliphatic polycarbonates. Shandong Lianxin Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. targets Gnanou-Feng’s green plastics in the fields of biomedical products and food packaging. These applications prioritize biodegradability, low toxicity, and excellent biocompatibility properties.
Crossing the Valley of Death
When asked about his initial thoughts, Gnanou
“We actually started from the problem, observing that today’s plastic production and the pollution it creates poses a significant threat to the environment and the health of living systems. We also did some research on the overall carbon footprint of today’s plastic production,” happily explains. calculations. We then designed a metal-free catalyst that can (co)polymerize CO2 with other monomers from renewable resources: simple, right?”
But the truth is, it’s not easy. Gnanou-Feng’s Green Plastics took nearly five years from ideation to scale-up. In the world of innovation and technology, this terrifying time span is defined as the Valley of Death. According to surveys by authoritative departments, due to the complexity of the commercialization stage, about 80% of technological innovations die during this transformation period. “It’s usually a long process from laboratory discovery to commercialization, and our case is no exception,” Gnanou said. “The path to industrialization has two main steps: Industry must be convinced that there is a market for the new technology, and there must be capital investment to implement the technology, which typically only occurs after successful scale-up and pilot phases.”
Gnanou continued: “At KAUST, my team benefits from the freedom afforded by my research baseline and by Jessica Eid, Division Technology Commercialization Manager
The support of Dr. She helped us overcome all the obstacles we encountered in our long march through the valley of death. This JDA officially marks our landing on the other side of the valley, and product commercialization is finally realized. ”
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, is an international private research university specializing in science and engineering. It was founded in September 2009 and cost approximately RMB 16.7 billion to build. It is known as the most luxurious university in the world. University. With the world’s top scientific research equipment and strong project financial support, its founding purpose is to promote the level of scientific and technological research in Saudi Arabia and the world.
Shandong Lianxin Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. was once a controlling subsidiary company of the listed company Lianchuang Co., Ltd. (300343). In 2022, Shandong Lianchuang Polymer Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Shandong Lianchuang Industrial Development Group Co., Ltd., transferred its holding subsidiary 66.67% equity of Shandong Lianxin Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. was transferred to Mr. Li Hongguo, the controlling shareholder and actual controller of the listed company. Currently, Lianxin Technology Taixing’s 25,000 tons/year carbon dioxide-based biodegradable plastic (PPCP) project is under construction using the technology of Professor Meng Yuezhong’s team at Sun Yat-sen University.
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