Invista Nylon Chemicals (China) Co. celebrated the full operation of its Asia Innovation Center (AIC) with an opening ceremony held at the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park.
Serving as a key hub within Invista’s global research and development network and the company’s first R&D center for nylon 6,6 application development in Asia, the AIC is positioned to broaden the commercial potential in engineering polymers and providing innovative solutions for its customers in Asia.
With the pursuit of safer and more energy-saving applications in downstream fields, notably automobiles, manufacturers are seeking advanced nylon 6,6 solutions to improve application performance at reduced costs, Invista said. Staying close to customers’ needs, Invista has invested more than $15 million to provide cutting-edge equipment and professional support to establish local expertise in engineering polymer formulations, applications, design and testing.
The 26,000-square-foot lab is equipped with melt processing capabilities and a wide range of aging and mechanical testing equipment to determine key engineering polymer properties such as tensile and impact strength, hydrolysis resistance and flammability, as well as thermal transitions in polymer, including melting point and crystallization temperature. To accelerate innovative outcomes, the center has also established capability in CAD/CAE to simulate and the behavior of nylon polymer under stress in real part dimensions.
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“Innovation is core to INVISTA and the new Asia Innovation Center shall lend a strong support in co-creating new application solutions with our customers through process of material development, component manufacturing and practical applications, enhancing our nylon 6,6 value chain to meet evolving customer demands,” Carrie Parker, global R&D manager for nylon polymer at Invista, said. “Moving forward, Invista will continue to work closely with partners to unleash new possibilities for downstream fields.”
Located near Invsita’s integrated nylon 6,6 facilities, the AIC contributes to its nylon 6,6 value chain, which also includes a new ADN production facility that will deploy Invista’s proprietary, butadiene-based ADN technology. In addition to advantages in commercial scale and overall efficiency, Invista’s ADN technology and manufacturing process result in up to 60 percent lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to propylene-based ADN and up to 80 percent lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to adipic acid-based AND, the company noted.
Invista is a global manufacturer of chemical intermediates, polymers and fibers. From carpet and clothing to medical equipment, air bags, food packaging and parts for the automotive industry, its ingredients in the nylon 6,6 and polypropylene value chains help bring many essential products to market. Invista is a subsidiary of Koch Industries.