The laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences promotes the green and sustainable development of petrochemical industry

With the increasingly stringent environmental protection requirements, achieving the maximum and reasonable utilization of petroleum resources has important strategic significance for the sustainable development of the economy and society
.

On July 9, 2007, the Ministry of Science and Technology formally approved the establishment of the State Key Laboratory of Catalytic Materials and Reaction Engineering for petrochemicals based on the Sinopec Research Institute of Petrochemical Sciences

As one of the first batch of 36 enterprise state key laboratories, the laboratory is oriented to the needs of green and sustainable development of energy environment and industrial transformation, focusing on technologies such as efficient petroleum conversion, clean fuel production, efficient utilization of biomass, and green chemical industry.
Carry out basic research and applied research on common key technical issues such as catalytic materials, catalytic reaction process and engineering, realize leading and transformative technological innovation, and solve the "stuck neck" technical problems that restrict industrial development
.

Since its establishment, the laboratory has undertaken 23 major national science and technology projects, won 5 national awards, 25 provincial and ministerial awards, and published 6 monographs, providing a powerful force for the upgrading of China’s oil quality and the clean and efficient production of key chemicals.

Aiming at key areas and filling the domestic gap

Aiming at key areas and filling the domestic gap

Catalytic technology is the most important scientific and technological basis for modern oil refining and petrochemical industries.
More than 60% of new products and more than 90% of new processes are based on catalysis
.

Among them, new catalytic materials and new reaction engineering are the driving force for the development of catalytic technology

"New catalytic materials are the source of the creation and invention of new catalysts, and new reaction engineering is an important way to open up new reaction technologies
.

From the perspective of the historical law of the development of catalytic science and technology, it is only possible to achieve leapfrog technological progress by innovating in these two aspects.

Hydrogen peroxide, commonly known as hydrogen peroxide, is an internationally recognized green product
.

China is the largest country in the production and use of hydrogen peroxide, and its consumption accounts for more than half of the world, but its production technology lags behind foreign countries

Caprolactam is a monomer of nylon-6 fiber and engineering plastics.
It is an important basic organic chemical, but the production process is extremely complicated
.

Zong Baoning told reporters that in the 1980s, China spent tens of billions of yuan to introduce foreign production technology, but the technology transferred from abroad was on the verge of being eliminated, causing the company to lose more than 2 billion yuan each year

Propylene oxide is the second largest propylene derivative after polypropylene in terms of output.
It is mainly used in the fields of resins, surfactants and polyurethanes
.

The hydrogen peroxide method to produce propylene oxide (HPPO) has mild reaction conditions, simple process flow, and environmental protection.

Based on the new green technology for the preparation of caprolactam and propylene oxide by hydrogen peroxide method, the laboratory provides full-process production technology for the chemical production bases of Baling Petrochemical and Nanjing Chemical Industry Company.
It is regarded as a riverside chemical by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
A benchmark for product manufacturers to build in a different place
.

The successful research and development of clean and efficient production technologies for chemical products such as hydrogen peroxide, caprolactam, and propylene oxide are just the epitome of the laboratory's insistence on independent innovation for many years
.

The laboratory has always been closely focusing on the hot issues related to the national economy and people’s livelihood in the petrochemical industry: researching and developing new sulfuric acid alkylation technology with independent intellectual property rights, filling the domestic gap, and promoting the quality upgrade of clean gasoline; conducting research on key technologies for increasing the production of low-carbon olefins and aromatics , To support the transformation and development of enterprises from fuel-based to integrated refining and chemical; to lock down the scientific problems of microalgae for reducing nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide, develop a complete set of technologies for the high-value utilization of microalgae, and turn the flue gas wastewater discharged from the refinery into waste For treasure

Researchers use scanning electron microscopy to characterize catalysts

Build a high-end platform to help talents grow

After more than ten years of development, focusing on key issues in the petrochemical field, the laboratory has gradually built a molecular sieve high-throughput synthesis platform, a technology platform for efficient use of precious metals, a hydrogen peroxide hydrocarbon nitridation and hydrocarbon oxidation technology platform, and a catalytic material analysis and characterization platform
.
In the field of new energy, a technology platform for hydrogen production and storage, a technology platform for key fuel cell materials and components, a technology platform for biomass energy, and a technology platform for carbon and energy storage materials have been established in accordance with world-class standards
.
The laboratory has carried out good cooperation with a number of refining and chemical companies to build a bridge from R&D to application, laying a solid platform foundation for continuous technological innovation
.

For a long time, the laboratory has actively encouraged young scientific researchers to participate in and undertake major projects, and selected young scientific research backbones to study in first-class universities abroad
.
After Xia Changjiu received his Ph.
D.
in the laboratory, he entered the Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry of Stockholm University to engage in post-doctoral research.
After returning to China, he entered the laboratory again
.
After participating in the work, Xia Changjiu participated in the development of HPPO's complete set of technologies, and has experienced and gradually grown in many major projects
.
Now he has become the leader of the molecular sieve synthesis and catalytic oxidation project.
Earlier this year, he was selected as Sinopec's 2020 outstanding young scientific and technological innovation talent
.
The laboratory also attaches great importance to the construction of a talent team.
It has two Sinopec chief experts and two Sinopec outstanding innovation teams.
Researchers under the age of 40 account for nearly 40%
.

Broaden your horizons, expand channels for the introduction of high-level talents, and promote flexible talent introduction
.
Relying on the post-doctoral mobile station and postgraduate training system of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the laboratory can attract outstanding young people from well-known universities and research institutes at home and abroad to invest in innovative research and development every year
.
In 2018, 4 post-doctoral fellows were introduced at one time, which strengthened the laboratory's research strength in engineering
.

Researchers are carrying out research on carbon-based nanomaterials

Cooperation and win-win development, promote close integration of industry, university and research

Cooperation and win-win development, promote close integration of industry, university and research

The laboratory has always advocated the operation and management concept of open cooperation, and promoted the efficient production of innovative results by integrating superior forces
.
Starting from "stimulating vitality and improving efficiency", carry out pilot research on the reform of scientific research system and mechanism, improve system construction from multiple perspectives such as talent growth channels, qualifications, scientific research output, and rank evaluation, and create a "relaxed environment, sufficient exchanges, and unity and cooperation" , Dare to innovate" academic atmosphere
.

The laboratory hired 15 academicians and professors from well-known domestic universities and scientific research institutes to form an academic committee to "check the pulse" for the laboratory's scientific research planning and long-term development
.
Through the establishment of open topics, the frontier scientific and technological issues that the laboratory is concerned about are presented to the academic community, and more than 20 scholars are attracted to participate in the competition application of the topic every year.
After the evaluation by the academic committee, cooperative research is promoted
.
In recent years, the laboratory has deepened cooperation with academia, established a long-term exchange and cooperation mechanism with more than 10 domestic universities and research institutes through exchanges and visits, and jointly undertakes national scientific research projects
.

Speaking of future development, Zong Baoning said that the laboratory will continue to face the requirements of China's economic and social development for energy and environmental sustainable development, and strengthen innovative research and development in response to core technical issues in the energy and chemical field
.
As a national key laboratory of an enterprise, it must fulfill the mission and responsibility of the "national team", play the role of a bridge, promote the close integration of industry, university and research, provide a scientific and technological foundation for the development of technologies with independent intellectual property rights, support and lead the petrochemical industry technology Progress has made the laboratory a cultivation base for original achievements in this field, a training base for talents, and an academic exchange center
.