China has become the world's largest production base of polyurethane raw materials and products

Polyurethane is an important new chemical material. Because of its excellent performance and versatile use, it is known as the "fifth largest plastic". China's polyurethane industry has gradually developed and grown with the 100-year history of the founding of the party. Today, from furniture and clothing, to transportation, construction, to aerospace and national defense construction, the ubiquitous polyurethane materials not only represent the innovation level of the modern chemical industry, but also become an important support for my country to build a strong manufacturing country.

China's polyurethane industry began in the late 1950s and early 60s, starting from the production of polyurethane raw materials. In 1958, Dalian Dyestuff Factory took the lead in successfully developing toluene diisocyanate (TDI), and in 1968 built a production facility with an annual output of 500 tons, creating conditions for the development of my country's polyurethane industry. Subsequently, Jiangsu Chemical Industry Research Institute and other units successively developed polyether PU soft foam plastics, mixed PU elastomers (MPU), polyurethane coatings, polyurethane waterproof materials and other products. In 1976, the Department of Chemical Industry of Jiangsu Province organized Jiangsu Province Chemical Industry Research Institute and other units to carry out technical research on polyurethane track glue. In 1978, it began to popularize and apply various types of sports venues in China.

After the reform and opening up, my country began to introduce foreign advanced TDI production technology and equipment. In 1983, the 10,000 tons of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and TDI project built by the former Ministry of Light Industry in Yantai, Shandong Province was put into production.

After the 1980s, my country began to introduce foreign advanced polyurethane raw materials and product production technology and equipment. Domestic scientific research institutions and enterprises also began to develop reaction injection molding, high resilience cold-cured foam, polymer polyols, modified MDI, etc. A series of new technologies for products and special raw materials. The five kinds of products developed by Liming Chemical Research Institute, including self-skin steering wheel, filling instrument panel, microporous elastomer fender, cold-curing high-resilience foam, and energy-absorbing impact-resistant bumper simulation parts, have filled the domestic market. blank.

After the 1990s, with the sustained and rapid development of my country's economy, polyurethane, as a new multifunctional polymer material, has been widely used in transportation, home appliances, furniture, metallurgy and other fields. The rapid growth of demand has also further stimulated the development of the polyurethane industry. Small flexible foam box foaming enterprises are booming, and the automatic pouring hard foam insulation production line in the refrigerator production base, the sandwich panel hard foam pouring production line, and the continuous method large soft foam There are hundreds of production lines, molded flexible foam production lines, and more than 10 large-scale polyurethane coatings, adhesives, and other production plants.

In the 21st century, after more than ten years of research and experience accumulation, through the digestion and absorption of imported technology and equipment, my country has basically mastered the production technology of polyurethane's main raw materials. With the rapid development of my country's refrigerator, freezer, and furniture industries, and the rapid rise of the application of polyurethane materials, my country's polyurethane industry has entered a stage of rapid development and has become one of the fastest growing fields in my country's chemical industry. Represented by Yantai Wanhua, my country's polyurethane manufacturing enterprises have begun to make breakthroughs in the fields of production scale, product types, and technical levels. Leading enterprises have entered the international stage. The industry has formed a three-pronged situation of multinational enterprises, large state-owned enterprises and private enterprises.

During the "Thirteenth Five-Year Plan" period, the polyurethane raw material industry has been digested, absorbed and recreated for nearly 20 years. MDI production technology and production capacity are at the world's leading level. Polyether polyol production technology and scientific research and innovation capabilities continue to improve, and high-end products continue to emerge , The gap with the advanced level of foreign countries is constantly narrowing. In 2019, my country's polyurethane product consumption is about 11.5 million tons (including solvents), and raw material exports are increasing year by year. It is the world's largest polyurethane production and consumption area. The market has matured and the industry has entered a high-quality development technology upgrade period.

At present, the production capacity of major polyurethane raw materials in China has exceeded 1/3 of the global production capacity. It has become the world's largest production base of polyurethane raw materials and products, and the region with the most comprehensive polyurethane application fields in the world. The production and consumption of raw materials and products in the industry continue to grow. The structure continues to be optimized. The output value of China's polyurethane raw materials is 60 billion yuan, and the output value of products is 320 billion yuan. It produces 95% of the world's refrigerated containers, 70% of toys, and 60% of shoes.

At present, the polyurethane industry has entered a new stage with the theme of innovation and green development. At present, the output of polyurethane downstream products such as building materials, spandex, synthetic leather and automobiles ranks first in the world. The country is vigorously promoting water-based coatings, implementing new policies for building energy conservation, and developing new energy vehicles, which also bring huge market opportunities to the polyurethane industry. The "dual-carbon" goal proposed by my country will promote the rapid development of building energy saving and clean energy industries, and bring new development opportunities for polyurethane insulation materials, coatings, composite materials, adhesives, and elastomers.

In April this year, China announced its acceptance of the "Montreal Protocol" Kigali Amendment to strengthen the control of non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gases such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). my country is the world's largest producer and user of HFCs. Among them, HFCs blowing agents are widely used in the polyurethane foam industry, and there are challenges in reducing work. At present, Buyian New Materials, Shaoxing Huachuang, Jiangsu Meside and other companies have increased the research and development of new foaming agents and matching foam stabilizers, catalysts and other auxiliaries for the task of replacing ODS as a foaming agent in the polyurethane industry. , To contribute to the improvement of the atmospheric environment.