Third-generation SEBS synthetic rubber into a hot market

First half of this year Baling Petrochemical Synthetic Rubber Division of SEBS (hydrogenated SBS) products sold 4800 tons more than last year's total sales. At the same time, this annual capacity of 10,000 tons of production equipment at more than 900 tons. The device production and marketing of the "double standard" eye-catching.

SEBS fast growth of consumption

Thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) combines the characteristics of plastics and rubber, known as "third-generation synthetic rubber." TPE in China, SBC (styrene block copolymer) played an important role in production is the world's largest and fastest-growing of a thermoplastic elastomer. Block by SBC component can be divided into styrene - butadiene - styrene block copolymer (SBS), styrene - isoprene - styrene block copolymer (SIS) and their corresponding product of the hydrogenation -- - Hydrogenated SBS (SEBS) and hydrogenated SIS (SEPS) 4 types.

SBC in the middle, SEBS, although the proportion of consumption accounted for a smaller, but the SEBS characteristics make it the last few years in the research, development of the hot spots, its consumption growth speed. According to the industry, in the United States, SEBS annual consumption of about 70,000 to 80,000 tons, and will be expected to grow at a rate of 3%; in Western Europe, SEBS in the annual demand of 30,000 tons, and its growth rate will reach 5% to 7%; in Japan, SEBS products in the annual demand of about 20,000 to 30,000 tons. Together with the rest of the world demand, it is estimated that the global annual demand of SEBS in 150,000 tons.

It is understood that with the growth in demand, the world's major types of SEBS hydrogenated product manufacturers have some capacity expansion plans. Japan's Kuraray in 2007 in the United States, its annual production capacity of 12,000 tons from 18,000 tons to expand, Nassau wear company in Spain and Mexico, the factory also has the capacity expansion plan. Analysis of the industry is estimated that American production capacity of about 90,000 to 100,000 tons, the European capacity 40,000 ~ 50,000 tons, Asia capacity 40,000 ~ 50,000 tons, the total capacity of 170,000 to 200,000 tons / year. The producers in capacity expansion, it also attaches great importance to product innovation, the current major research is the development of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) substitutes, soft rubber vulcanization, as well as alternatives to new adhesive materials.

At present, is the main domestic Baling Petrochemical Division of synthetic rubber with an annual output of 10,000 tons a SEBS the production line. There is information that Taiwan rubber in the Nantong 20,000 tons / year SEBS devices will be put into operation in the middle of this year, it was reported that pig is now available for trial users. Mainland China is the application of SEBS one of the fastest-growing region, its import growth can be seen. Official statistics in 2005, hydrogenated products imported about 6,000 tons, imports in 2006 increased to 10,000 tons.

SEBS domestic application of the current focus on access to soft-coated materials, low hardness elastomers, SBS and other materials with a solvent such as processing. With the market's requirements to improve product quality, flexibility of the existing body of SEBS amount must be increased, this will only increase in more than 10,000 tons of market capacity. With a variety of new uses for the development of alternatives such as soft PVC, and so on, all kinds of modification of the common plastic, wire and cable seals and the use of the promotion, coupled with the lubricating oil viscosity index improver applications, experts estimate that the domestic market SEBS Capacity within five years to increase further. In this regard, the development of domestic enterprises face both opportunities and face the product quality and stability of the challenges.

To the quality and production and sales targets simultaneously

A new product from R & D to achieve industrial production, and then to the market, which has been recognized market may need a fairly long process. However, synthetic rubber Baling Petrochemical Division of Baling SEBS card products in just less than two years to complete the process.

The cause of the Department of thermoplastic elastomer SEBS sets of technology development projects be included in the national "863" plan, with an annual output of 20,000 tons Mao-line set of SEBS hydride technology development projects, Sinopec is China's "Ten Long," one of the key scientific and technological projects. In March 2006, the Division completed and put into production with their own intellectual property rights of the domestic first set of million-ton annual capacity of SEBS industrial production equipment, production and installation of multiple brands of products SEBS filled the gap, to replace imports and to participate in international competition China-made products so that SBC's market share and further enhance the influence.

SEBS-ton industrial installations put into operation, running some of the need to break through bottlenecks, such as the reminder of this, such as the quality of the odor problem SEBS product development market, subject to the smooth operation of equipment and technology of long-term run-in, and so on.

Baling Petrochemical synthetic rubber business organizations from nearly 100 professional and technical personnel to participate in the research team, the state of technology, product quality, user segments, such as tracking, through the careful organization of small test pilot, on the one hand, optimize the device for the production, Improve the quality of 10 can be implemented in a number of specific comments and suggestions, on the other hand, the development of new products SEBS.

The Department of technicians by the 300 tests, found the impact on the quality of SEBS the root causes and to propose measures to deal with. At the same time, for high-consumption devices, where the high cost of products, from business process tuning devices and equipment, lack of consumer start to focus on a series of improvement and optimization of the lack of extinction, the only way to optimize a catalyst to join, effective SEBS reduced production costs. Post-processing equipment for the home-made device also modified to further improve the capacity to lay a solid technological foundation. Technological innovation so that the devices become more normal operation, but also the quality of SEBS and production to increase steadily. In May this year, SEBS output reached 910.67 tons, to achieve targets for the month.

As by the end of June, the Ministry of SEBS product sales this year, a total of 4820.675 tons, of which sales line, and other brand 501,502,503,561,563 Total 4341.27 tons, sales of a total of 602 star-grade 355.085 tons, in the domestic market share of 60% .