Transform Materials has joined forces with Johnson Matthey plc in a new partnership that will see scientists and engineers at both companies apply their combined expertise with the aim of revolutionizing vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) production through a novel, lower-carbon-emission, mercury-free process.
The collaboration brings together Transform Materials’ advanced technology for producing acetylene from a range of short-chain hydrocarbons and Johnson Matthey’s unique, mercury-free technology and catalyst offering for converting acetylene to VCM. Acetylene is typically produced by hydrolysis of calcium carbide and is a critical building block in many chemical processes. Last year, Transform Materials announced a supply agreement for low-carbon acetylene with global manufacturing firm Denka.
Calcium carbide is produced via an energy-intensive process that uses coal and limestone as feedstocks, while VCM is converted to PVC via a polymerization reaction. Traditionally, mercury has been the catalyst of choice to hydrochlorinate acetylene to monomer VCM. However, with the ratification of the worldwide Minimata treaty, the use of mercury catalysts in new VCM plants is now banned. JM’s proprietary catalyst offers a solution for new and existing VCM plants.
Combined, the Transform and Johnson Matthey technologies create an alternate route to produce PVC with a lower global warming impact* versus traditional methods and without the use of mercury catalysts. This addresses three critical challenges facing the industry:
- A reliance on environmentally harmful products. There are significant environmental drawbacks associated with traditional methods of producing PVC from coal and using mercury catalysts. Through the collaboration between Transform Materials and Johnson Matthey, a wider range of feedstocks can be used to produce VCM from acetylene using JM’s catalyst.
- Facilitating on-purpose, selective capacity growth. Unlike traditional ethylene-based PVC production, the approach offered by these two companies enables producers to selectively increase output due to the direct route via acetylene to VCM without forming major by- and co-products.
- Carbon emissions. During the carbide process, carbon monoxide is generated from the reaction of lime and carbon from coal. This collaboration enables the use of a process route that does not emit these carbon by-products and can result in a lower carbon intensity process when compared to traditional calcium carbide production.*
“Transform Materials is delighted to partner with Johnson Matthey, a company with a rich, 200-year history of innovation and a leader in sustainable technologies,” said Kenn Flessner, CEO of Transform Materials. “The PVC industry is seeking new ways to meet production demands while prioritizing sustainability. This partnership enables us to deliver a cutting-edge solution that allows PVC producers to increase output incrementally without compromising their environmental goals.”
Today’s announcement builds on Transform Materials’ recent market success, which includes the signing last year of an agreement with Denka, a leading Japanese chemicals company, for the construction of a Transform Materials acetylene-hydrogen plant. That plant is under construction and is expected to be commissioned in 2025.
“Our collaboration with Transform Materials significantly enhances our value proposition to PVC producers,” said Alan Ingham, director of global licensing at Johnson Matthey. “By combining our leading hydrochlorination catalyst and VCM technology offering with Transform Materials’ innovative approach to acetylene production, we can now offer PVC manufacturers a truly compelling path to increase production capacity in a more environmentally responsible manner. This partnership aligns with our sustainability goals and positions us to play a key role in driving positive change within the PVC industry.”