New Butyl Rubber Production Technology Enters Production

A new rubber processing technology pioneered by ExxonMobil Chemical has entered commercial production in France. At the end of July ExxonMobil Chemical reported that its Notre Dame de Gravenchon (NDG) facility had begun employing a technology that reportedly can significantly increase the butyl rubber production capacity at established production plants. In addition to increasing capacity, ExxonMobil Chemical state that the process now being used at the NDG plant is more energy efficient than current methods owing to changes in the temperature at which the butyl rubber polymerization process takes place.

The process technology unrolled at the NDG plant is the result of a long-term multi-million dollar program conducted by ExxonMobil Chemical. “This is possibly the biggest breakthrough in butyl process technology since the invention of halobutyl,” said Art Sullivan, Global Butyl Polymers vice president at ExxonMobil Chemical. “It is the culmination of our relentless focus and investment in research and development, and it demonstrates the continued technical leadership of ExxonMobil Chemical and our continued commitment to the global tyre industry.”

The commercial application of the technology comes after two years of tests and trials at the NDG facility. Stable, efficient plant operations, significantly higher production capability with existing reactors and refrigeration compressors and equivalent product properties and performance were amongst the key success criteria evaluated prior to commercialisation of the technology. The company plans to implement the new technology at its other butyl plants around the world, however details of the company’s plans, including the timing and target capacity increment, have yet to be finalised.