[call to mend the sky — Investigation and Reflection on the localization of adiponitrile (Part I)]
There is a “Chinese dream” behind adiponitrile.
It has been 92 years since DuPont first realized the industrial production of adiponitrile in 1930. However, for most of these 92 years, the Chinese people did not have their own adiponitrile. A number of industry insiders recently said to the reporter of China Chemical Daily that domestic adiponitrile has become a “sky filling stone” to protect the national economy and the people’s livelihood, protect the great wall of industry and realize the national dream.
Refining this “stone” is the call of family and country.
The cornerstone of the national economy and the people’s livelihood
Many people are unfamiliar with adiponitrile or nylon, but they must be very familiar with nylon. The scientific name of nylon is polyamide (PA), which is not only an important chemical fiber product, but also one of the five general engineering plastics. In the huge family of nylon materials, nylon 6 and nylon 66 are the two main varieties. Nylon 66 is getting more and more applications because of its better comprehensive properties than nylon 6.
“Nylon 66 has a very wide and important application in national defense and military industry, urban construction and transportation, home life and other aspects. It is an important strategic material related to the national economy and the people’s livelihood.” Dong Liqin, chairman of Hangzhou Dikai industrial cloth Co., Ltd., told reporters, “Nylon 66 is used in field military uniforms, rifle accessories, high-speed railway sleepers and ties. An average of more than ten kilograms of nylon 66 is used in a car. After nylon 66 is blended with wood fiber, it is more comfortable and lighter than the commonly used polyester and vinylon, and can be used to produce high-performance combat protective clothing. Due to the extensive use of nylon 66 materials, the transportation capacity and carrying weight of American soldiers have been greatly improved.”
“Adiponitrile is the key raw material for the production of nylon 66.” Dong Liqin said that hexanediamine was synthesized by hydrogenation of adiponitrile, and then nylon 66 salt was synthesized from hexanediamine, and finally nylon 66 material was prepared. Therefore, some people in the industry also call it “the throat of nylon industry”.
“Adiponitrile is one of the few key intermediates that have been ‘stuck’ in China and has been monopolized by multinational companies for a long time.” Petrochina Company Limited(601857) and Fu Xiangsheng, vice president of the Chemical Industry Federation, stressed in an interview with reporters, “it is of great significance to make a breakthrough in technology and realize the localization of adiponitrile.”
Meeting development needs and ensuring the national economy and people’s livelihood are more important than mountains and seas.
Guarantee of industrial safety
What if one day, Chinese people’s life without nylon 66? This is a seemingly absurd question. However, from another perspective, the answer becomes realistic and cruel: the Chinese people were unable to produce adiponitrile for most of the past 100 years after the advent of adiponitrile.
We have been fully aware of the supply and control of hexonitrile in foreign countries for a long time. “At least until 2020, to be exact, before the 50000 T / a unit of Huafeng Group reaches production capacity and operates stably, China’s adiponitrile will be completely dependent on imports.” An insider told reporters that, however, for the restrained demand of 400000 tons of adiponitrile every year, the annual production capacity of 50000 tons is still far from enough, and its technical path is greatly limited by raw materials. At present, China’s adiponitrile still relies heavily on imports.
Li Wenjun, a researcher of the petrochemical Federation, admitted to reporters: “at the national strategic level, key raw materials are controlled by others, and the safety of industrial development will be seriously affected.”
Gu zongqin, former president of the petroleum and Chemical Industry Planning Institute, once pointed out that the main development idea of the “14th five year plan” is to ensure safety, stabilize people’s livelihood and seek long-term development. ” China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation(600028) chemical industry chain and supply chain are generally safe and can resist foreign blockade. However, there are still shortcomings in the process technology of major chemical products, such as adiponitrile.” He said.
“Self sufficiency is limited, and people’s life and industrial development are controlled by others. How can we do that!” Liang Junxiang, chairman of Tianchen Qixiang new materials Co., Ltd., pointed out the interests in an interview with reporters.
It is urgent to break the import monopoly and protect the industrial security.
Dream of national industry
The painful lesson of “backwardness will be beaten” in modern history makes the Chinese people have an almost obsessive complex about localization, and China’s national industry often regards the realization of localization as a feeling, responsibility and glory.
The trade friction between China and the United States in 2018 made the Chinese people who have enjoyed peace for a long time feel the uneasiness and anxiety caused by the “neck sticking” of technology again. In that war without smoke of gunpowder, Huawei became a fighter attracting national attention. However, little is known that in the Sino US trade list at that time, adiponitrile was the only chemical raw material 100% dependent on imports.
In fact, the localization of adiponitrile has always attracted much attention. The reporter learned that the national development and Reform Commission listed 10000 ton adiponitrile production units as key encouraged projects in the guidance catalogue for industrial structure adjustment in 2011, 2013 and 2019. The petrochemical Federation is also very concerned about the localization process of adiponitrile. In recent years, Fu Xiangsheng, vice president of the Federation, has led the research team for many times and stressed the importance of the localization of adiponitrile in several speeches and signed articles.
Fu Xiangsheng mentioned in the report on innovation and development of new chemical materials industry in November 2019 that although foreign enterprises attach importance to their business in China, the transfer of advanced technology is almost impossible. He also said that the industrial assembly of adiponitrile jointly built by China Tianchen Engineering Co., Ltd. and Zibo Qixiang Tengda Chemical Co.Ltd(002408) is expected.
“The localization of adiponitrile has become the ‘Chinese dream’ of national industry.” Yuan Xuemin, chairman of China Tianchen, said that the road of independent research and development and domestic substitution must be taken even if it is difficult to compete with heaven.
It is more important to develop independent technology and boost national morale.
