Driven by the dual engines of global industrial chain reconstruction and domestic high-end manufacturing upgrade, new chemical materials are becoming a critical area for China to break through "bottleneck" technologies and achieve autonomous control over its industries. However, during the transition from small-scale laboratory tests to ten-thousand-ton level industrial production, deep-seated contradictions in technology conversion, engineering scaling up, and supply chain collaboration have become increasingly prominent, forming core bottlenecks that restrict the progress of localization.
1. Technology Conversion: The "Valley of Death" from Molecular Design to Process Scale-Up
The R&D of new chemical materials often starts with molecular structure innovation in laboratories, but the leap from gram-level synthesis to ton-level mass production is full of challenges. Taking semiconductor photoresists as an example, although domestic enterprises have broken through the 248nm KrF photoresist technology, they still lag behind Japanese companies such as JSR and Shin-Etsu Chemical in key indicators like metal ion residue (which needs to be controlled at ppb level) and batch stability. This gap stems from inadequate basic research - insufficient depth in studying material-structure performance relationships and impurity formation mechanisms domestically, leading to a lack of scientific basis for process optimization.
Case Study: Technical Breakthrough of PVB Resin
Inner Mongolia Shuangxin Environmental Protection faced issues with unstable microwave polymerization reaction rates when breaking through PVB resin technology. By introducing focused microwave electromagnetic technology and no-wash processes, their synthesis speed increased by 5-20 times, with reagent consumption reduced by 95%, but this process took 3 years and involved over 300 optimization trials. Such "trial-and-error costs" are unbearable for small and medium-sized enterprises, highlighting the weakness in connecting basic research with engineering applications.
2. Engineering Scaling Up: Dual Shackles of Equipment Localization and Process Compatibility
Ideal processes under laboratory conditions often fail during scaled-up production. For instance, the bi-directional stretching equipment required for polyimide (PI) film production must reach micron-level precision, and only three companies globally can supply it, making domestic enterprises long dependent on imported equipment. This reliance not only raises costs but also limits the adjustment of process parameters. In the case of Wanhua Chemical's POE (polyolefin elastomer) project, while it broke Dow Chemical's monopoly with its independently developed nickel-based catalyst, parameters such as stirring speed and temperature control of the accompanying polymerization reactor still needed repeated adjustments with equipment manufacturers, taking 2 years to achieve stable mass production.
Technical Pain Points: Challenges in the Industrialization of Continuous Flow Processes
Continuous flow reaction technology can improve production efficiency and reduce energy consumption, but during scale-up, uneven mass transfer and heat transfer problems easily arise. Hunan Petrochemical increased the reaction conversion rate from 85% in the lab to 92% in industrial production in the iron-based comb-like butadiene-isoprene rubber industrialization process by introducing microchannel reactors and online monitoring systems. However, this process involves multi-disciplinary intersections such as fluid mechanics simulation and material corrosion protection, posing extremely high technical barriers.
3. Supply Chain Collaboration: Caught Between Raw Material Blockades and Application Verification
Mass production of new chemical materials relies on stable supplies of key raw materials and market recognition from downstream application sectors, both facing severe challenges. On the raw material side, import dependence for α-olefins (key co-monomers for high-end polyolefins) and PMDA (raw material for polyimides, diphenyl ether tetracarboxylic dianhydride) exceeds 70%, with international giants implementing technological blockades. On the application side, the certification cycle for semiconductor materials lasts up to 8 years, and photovoltaic encapsulation films need UL certification and weather resistance testing; domestic enterprises struggle to break through market barriers due to a lack of industry standard authority.
Typical Dilemma: Dual Shackles of Photoresists
Although domestic photoresist companies have achieved a 50% localization rate for PCB photoresists, in the semiconductor field, the localization rate for g-line/i-line photoresists is merely 10%, and for KrF/ArF photoresists, it is less than 1%. This is not only due to the gap in technical specifications but also because downstream wafer factories refuse to try domestic materials out of concern for production line interruptions. Similarly, the application of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) in the lithium battery sector requires rigorous certification from leading companies like CATL and BYD, with certification cycles lasting up to 18 months.
4. Pathways to Resolution: Full-Chain Synergy and Technological Paradigm Shifts
Facing multiple challenges, the industry is exploring an innovative model covering the entire chain from "basic research - pilot incubation - industrial transformation." Sinopec, through the "large-scale military operation" model, collaborated with Zhenhai Refining & Chemical, East China University of Science and Technology, and others, spending 13 years overcoming high-performance polybutene-1 technology, building the world's fourth continuous production line with product performance reaching international standards. This deeply integrated industry-academia-research-application model effectively shortened the cycle from laboratory to market.
Innovative Technology Directions
Intelligent Process Development: Introducing AI molecular design tools (such as AlphaFold) and high-throughput experimental platforms to accelerate material performance prediction and process optimization. Tianjin Petrochemical improved the light transmittance of quaternary copolymer polyethylene from 75% to 85% by optimizing catalyst ratios through computer simulations. Modular Production Systems: Drawing from the flexible manufacturing experience of CDMOs (Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations), develop rapidly switchable modular production lines. For example, the CEM Liberty PRO™ fully automatic polypeptide synthesis system can achieve multi-product production within the cGMP framework. Green Manufacturing Technologies: Promoting low-energy consumption processes such as continuous flow reactions and supercritical extraction. Dongyue Group adopted closed-loop recovery technology in PVDF production, increasing solvent recovery rates to 99% and reducing energy consumption by 30%.
5. Policy Support: A Critical Leap from Planning to Implementation
National policies are paving the way for localization through financial support and standard system construction. The "14th Five-Year Plan" clearly states that by 2025, the self-sufficiency level of new chemical materials must reach above 75%, establishing special funds to support technological breakthroughs in areas like high-end polyolefins and electronic chemicals. Local governments use the "industry fund + pilot base" model to reduce enterprise risks, such as setting up a 5 billion yuan special fund in the Anqing Chemical New Materials Industry Base, focusing on supporting projects in semiconductor materials, high-performance membrane materials, etc.
Case Study: Industrial Breakthrough of TPVA-OBP™
The TPVA-OBP™ barrier material developed by Shanghai Petrochemical Research Institute solved the problem of low production efficiency in traditional PVA film production through continuous thermoplastic processes. During the industrialization process at Ningxia Energy, thanks to the MIIT's "Key New Materials First Batch Application Insurance Compensation" policy, the product quickly passed food packaging certification, achieving a two-year leap from laboratory to market.
Conclusion
Localization of new chemical materials is not only a technological battle but also a systematic project involving basic research, engineering transformation, and supply chain synergy. Only by breaking away from the path dependency of "valuing application over fundamentals" and building a deeply integrated innovation ecosystem of "science - technology - industry" can we cross the "valley of death" from laboratory to mass production. With the release of policy dividends and technological paradigm shifts, China is expected to make breakthroughs in key areas such as high-performance polyolefins and semiconductor materials, providing solid support for high-end manufacturing.
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