China's propylene oxide import dependence status and localization technology breakthrough direction?

Status Quo of Import Dependence of Propylene Oxide in China and Breakthrough Direction of Localization Technology

Propylene oxide (PO) is an important organic chemical raw material, which is widely used in the production process of textile, plastic, paper, construction and other industries. In recent years, the demand for propylene oxide in China has continued to grow, but the localization rate is low and the degree of dependence on foreign countries is high, which seriously restricts the development of the industry. This paper will analyze the import status of propylene oxide, the problems caused by import dependence, and the direction of technological breakthrough, and discuss the future development trend of China's propylene oxide industry.

1. Propylene Oxide Import Status

The main production methods of propylene oxide include chlorohydrin method, ionic membrane method and hydrogen peroxide method. Among them, the chlorohydrin method is widely used because of its low production cost and relatively simple process, but this method will produce a large amount of mercury-containing waste, which poses a serious threat to the environment and human health. As a result, environmental pressures have forced many countries to phase out the chlorohydrin process in favor of the more environmentally friendly ionic membrane and hydrogen peroxide processes.

At present, the production technology of propylene oxide in China is mainly based on chlorohydrin method, and the process is relatively backward. Under the background of increasingly strict environmental protection requirements, the living space of chlorohydrin method is constantly compressed. With this domestic demand for propylene oxide has continued to grow, the gap is mainly dependent on imports to fill. According to statistics, China's import dependence on propylene oxide has been maintained at more than 40% for a long time, and the main import sources include South Korea, Japan, the United States and other countries.

2. Import Dependence Issues

The import dependence of propylene oxide has brought many impacts on the development of China's chemical industry. Import prices fluctuate greatly and are vulnerable to changes in international market demand and geopolitical factors, resulting in frequent fluctuations in domestic propylene oxide prices and increasing the uncertainty of production costs. Excessive dependence on imports also makes the supply chain security of domestic enterprises face risks, especially in the context of the complex and changeable international situation, the possibility of supply chain interruption increases. As a basic chemical raw material, the import dependence of propylene oxide also restricts the independent development ability of domestic downstream industries and weakens China's competitiveness in the global chemical industry chain.

3. localization technology breakthrough direction

In the face of the import dependence of propylene oxide, domestic enterprises need to speed up technological upgrading and innovation to promote the localization of propylene oxide. Here are a few technical breakthroughs:

1. Optimization of Ion-exchange Membrane Process Ion-exchange membrane method is a clean and efficient propylene oxide production technology, which has the characteristics of low pollution and high degree of automation. At present, some domestic enterprises have made some progress in the ion-exchange membrane process, but there is still a gap between the overall technical level and foreign countries. In the future, process optimization and equipment upgrades can further improve the production efficiency and product quality of the ion membrane method, reduce costs, and promote its large-scale application.

2. Promotion of hydrogen peroxide technology The hydrogen peroxide method is another environmentally friendly propylene oxide production process, which is characterized by mild reaction conditions, fewer by-products, and clean production process. The hydrogen peroxide method has higher requirements for equipment and technology, and there are few domestic companies that master this technology. In the future, the hydrogen peroxide method can be gradually promoted through the introduction of foreign advanced technology or independent research and development to reduce the dependence on imported propylene oxide.

3. New catalyst research and development The catalyst plays a key role in the propylene oxide production process. Through the development of efficient and stable new catalysts, the reaction efficiency can be significantly improved, and the energy consumption and cost can be reduced. Domestic scientific research institutions and enterprises have made some breakthroughs in the field of catalytic technology, but there is still room for improvement compared with the international advanced level. In the future, increasing the research and development of catalysts is an important way to realize the localization of propylene oxide.

4. Circular Economy and Comprehensive Utilization of Resources In the process of propylene oxide production, the treatment of by-products and the comprehensive utilization of resources are equally important. By establishing a circular economy system and making full use of the by-products produced in the production process, it can not only reduce production costs, but also reduce environmental pollution. For example, in the production of chlorohydrins, efficient recovery and harmless disposal of mercury can be achieved through technological innovation.

4. Future Outlook

With the continuous tightening of environmental protection policies and the growth of downstream market demand, the localization of propylene oxide has become an important issue that cannot be ignored in China's chemical industry. Through technological upgrading, process innovation and equipment transformation, domestic enterprises are expected to gradually break through the bottleneck of propylene oxide production, reduce import dependence and enhance independent production capacity.

The support of national policies is also an important force to promote the localization of propylene oxide. The government can encourage enterprises to adopt environmentally friendly production processes and accelerate industrial upgrading by providing tax incentives and technical subsidies. Strengthening international technical cooperation and introducing advanced technology and management experience will also provide new impetus for the development of China's propylene oxide industry.

The localization of propylene oxide is not only a technical problem, but also a strategic problem related to the long-term development of China's chemical industry. Only by achieving breakthroughs in key technologies and industrial upgrading can we truly get rid of import dependence and promote China's propylene oxide industry to a more sustainable and efficient development path.