Abstract

Naphtha is one of the crude oil distillation products, bringing almost the lowest value-addition to crude oil, compared to other refinery products such as liquid petroleum gas, gasoline, and diesel. However, Naphtha can be converted to one of the highest value products at the end of the value chain, i.e., polyolefins. Although the production of conventional commodity polyolefins from crude oil, is considered as one of the final products in alkenes’ value chain, there are specialty polyolefins with higher values. Specialty polyolefins are small volume, high-performance thermoplastics with high-profit margins compared to traditional commodity polyolefins. Recently, some special purpose functionalized polyolefins have been developed as efficient substituents for high-performance engineering thermoplastics. Polyolefins are exploited as cost-effective platforms to produce these functionalized thermoplastics. They are promising candidates for replacing high-performance polymers with high-cost raw materials and elaborate production processes. So, functional polyolefins have introduced a new paradigm in the production of high-performance thermoplastics, extending the alkenes’ value chain and increasing profitability. High-performance specialty polyolefins may find exceptional markets in niche applications. In this chapter, the commercial specialty and functional polyolefins’ current situation and prospects are reviewed.

Highlights

  • The value chain notion refers to all value-creating activities, potential developments, and opportunities in industrial production, from the raw materials to the goods delivered to the final consumers

  • We want to answer the following questions. a) what is the potential value of specialty polyolefins? b) what are the essential requirements in taking full advantage of these value-added polyolefins? c) what are the trends and elements of the future of functional polyolefins?

  • Specialty polyolefins growing in the last decade was faster than the past thanks to developing new catalytic systems and polymerization processes

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Summary

Introduction

The value chain notion refers to all value-creating activities, potential developments, and opportunities in industrial production, from the raw materials to the goods delivered to the final consumers. It is an appropriate base for the creation of strategic niches. It is related to the emerging new technology-based markets. Strategic niches may lack well-defined market in their emerging phase, some actors supply the essential resources with high expectations about the technology economy and sustainability.

Alkenes’ value chain
Polyolefins’ “Golden age”
Applications and niche markets of specialty polyolefins
Cyclic olefin (co)polymers
Functional polyolefins
Challenges in the commercialization of functional polyolefins
Trends in the specialty polyolefins industry
Findings
Conclusion
Full Text
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