Evonik & thyssenkrupp to License HPPO Technology to China

Evonik and thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions are licensing their HPPO technology for the production of propylene oxide to the Chinese chemical company Zibo Qixiang Tengda Chemical. The parties signed the contracts in Guangzhou, China, at the end of July. thyssenkrupp will be responsible for the process design and supply key components for the new plant. In addition, Evonik is licensing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) technology to Qixiang Tengda for the exclusive supply of the propylene oxide plant. The partners have also signed a long-term supply contract for the corresponding HPPO catalyst.

Propylene oxide is mainly used for the manufacture of polyurethane foams, which are used for example in automobile components, upholstery, thermal insulation, coating materials, sports shoes and other sporting goods. The global polyurethane market is set to grow by three to five percent annually up to 2025 and China is one of the most important growth markets.

Peter Sieben, Head of the Operating Unit Oxides, Vinyl and Specialty Chemicals at thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions: “We combine proven technologies with innovative solutions to enable efficient, environmentally compatible production of high-quality intermediates. In this way, we help our customers open up new markets and sustainably expand their value chains.”

Claus Rettig, CEO of Evonik Resource Efficiency GmbH: “We are proud to have gained Qixiang as a new strategic partner. With increasing environmental awareness in China, HPPO is the technology of choice for the sustainable production of propylene oxide as it produces no major by-products other than water.”

Over the next few years Qixiang Tengda will build a plant complex at its Zibo site (Shandong Province, China) that will be capable of producing up to 300,000 metric tons of propylene oxide per year as well as the H2O2 required for the HPPO process. Initial engineering work is scheduled to start in mid-August 2019. The plant is expected to come on stream in the first half of 2022.

HPPO stands for “Hydrogen Peroxide to Propylene Oxide”. In the process, developed jointly by thyssenkrupp and Evonik, propylene oxide (PO) is produced directly from hydrogen peroxide and propylene. This is made possible by an HPPO catalyst developed specifically for the process. Compared with conventional production processes for propylene oxide, the HPPO process requires significantly lower investment and is more cost-efficient. In addition, it is extremely environmentally friendly because it is highly selective and no by-products other than water are produced in significant quantities.