Commercial Application of 1,4-Cyclohexane Dimethanol Technology Developed by CAS

The first in China 10-thousand-ton-class 1,4-cyclohexane dimethanol (CHDM) unit based on the technology developed by the CAS Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) has been put on stream, with its product quality reaching the internationally advanced level.

DICP after having engaged in commercial application tests for three years has successfully developed the proprietary technology for manufacture of CHDM in an 10 kt/a scale as well as the preparation of catalysts for synthesis of CHDM through two-step hydrotreating of DMT. Beginning 2012, DICP in collaboration with the Kailing Chemical Company, Ltd. in Zhangjiajie city has commenced the construction of a commercial 20 kt/a CHDM unit, which in April 2014 successfully delivered around 1000 metric tons of CHDM product. The product has been used by more than 20 overseas clients to meet their demand for the raw material quality. Afterwards DICP continued to optimize and upgrade this commercial unit to unravel the difficulties arising from application of the CHDM product for manufacture of high-grade engineering plastics used in Japanese cars. In March 2015 the quality of product manufactured by this technology had completely met the special requirements of Japanese users.