The Engineering Chemical Technology Center (ICTC) in partnership with the Institute of Plastics named after G.S. Petrov and Tomsk State University launched the production of polyetheretherketone (PEEK). This polymer is used in microelectronics, cable industry, machine and automotive industry, oil, gas and pharmaceutical industries.
The Engineering Chemical Technology Center is one of the developers of the Strategy for the Development of the Chemical Industry in Russia until 2042. It was established on the basis of Tomsk State University and specializes in scaling scientific developments and solving production problems using high-tech technologies. Tomsk State University was approved by the operator of the Personnel Training Center for the Chemical Industry of the Russian Federation, created within the framework of the federal project "Advanced Training and Retraining of Qualified Personnel in the Direction of New Materials and Chemistry" (national project "New Materials and Chemistry").
- The new production is the first project of this scale in Russia aimed at import substitution of critical material for industry. PEEK is used in microelectronics, cable industry, machine and automotive industries, oil, gas and pharmaceutical industries, - said Alexey Knyazev, director of ICTC.
Photo by ICTC
Polyetheretherketone is a universal engineering plastic with a polycrystalline structure, resistant to high temperatures. It is resistant to water vapor, has excellent chemical, mechanical, electrical properties, which it retains at temperatures up to +250°C.
The total cost of the project is estimated at about 300 million rubles. The need to create a domestic production of PEEK was declared by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation at the request of Chuvashkabel Plant JSC. The company is interested in the production of a heat-resistant cable that must withstand temperature loads and aggressive environments with a small insulation thickness. The only polymer capable of providing such cable properties is PEEK.
- PEEK is supplied to the consumer in the form of a granular compound. The key quality parameters of the material manufactured according to the current assignment comply with generally recognized international standards. After the synthesis, the product is tested for 18 physicochemical indicators (melting point, viscosity, density, etc.) and has already passed the initial tests in the finished product at the Chuvashkabel Plant, - said Alexandra Zherdeva, ICTC project manager.
The project was implemented on the basis of a patented synthesis technology developed by the Institute of Plastics. The task of the ICTC was to scale up the technology and adapt the composition of the polymer compound to the specific requirements of the customer. The initial production volume under the contract is at least 7 tons of material per year. The capacity of the ICTC production makes it possible to produce up to 10 tons of material per year with the prospect of further increase.
Tomsk State University acted as a research partner, providing testing, control of synthesis and compounding processes. Now TSU experts are working to expand the line of PEEK brands produced for various industrial tasks. There are already requests for PEEK casting brands for automotive and medical sectors.
Currently, ICTC is preparing for the release of an experimental batch of material to confirm compliance with the technical requirements of the consumer plant.
For reference: The Engineering Chemical Technology Center (ICTC LLC) has three production sites and hundreds of implemented projects aimed at developing the chemical industry in Russia and import substitution. In total, it performed more than 600 R&D and established more than 30 production facilities in various cities of Russia, including Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Photo by ICTC
