China Coal Ordos Energy and Chemical Co's polypropylene units. [Photo/Nuan News]

China Coal Ordos Energy and Chemical Co recently completed the country's first production switch of impact-resistant polypropylene using a domestically developed catalyst, ending long-standing reliance on imported catalysts for the UNIPOL process.

The company spearheaded a collaborative innovation effort to overcome the challenges of complex operations, lengthy supply chains, high procurement costs, and significant dependence on foreign technology. By integrating catalyst producers and application developers, utilizing advanced process control systems, and employing mathematical modeling, the team optimized the production switch.

Extensive safety and stability evaluations were conducted through lab testing and pilot-scale trials. Standardized operational systems were applied to refine core production metrics, resolving key technological bottlenecks and driving progress in the broader industries.

The localization of the catalyst is expected to reduce production costs by over 30 percent. New impact-resistant polypropylene grades, such as LC1813-01, K8303, and EPS30R, developed using this domestic catalyst, are suitable for use in automotive parts and heavy-duty machinery components, demonstrating strong market potential.

This achievement fills a critical gap in the domestic application of proprietary catalysts for polypropylene production. It also establishes a fully self-contained technical system covering both catalyst usage and process operation, providing a secure and cost-effective model for other Chinese enterprises.