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Date: 2022-05-25Read: 0
Looking at various chemical markets, the specialty chemical industry is less affected by cyclical factors, with stable profitability and relatively high levels. It has received support from the market and is steadily developing.
The so-called specialty chemicals refer toFine chemical products are usually products with high technological content, low production volume, and specialized functions or final performance, and therefore have relatively high value. These products are widely used as chemical additives, agricultural chemicals, adhesives, polymers, textile chemicals, and surfactants.
According to data from 2021, its global sales reached 606.96 billion US dollars, and it is expected to reach 769.6 billion US dollars by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3%.1
In terms of market size, China is the largest consumer of specialty chemicals, accounting for 27% of the global market and reaching 160 billion US dollars2And maintain an average annual growth rate of up to 7%. As a major participant in the specialty chemical market, China is shifting from an export-oriented economy to meeting the growing demand for high-value downstream products domestically. Meanwhile, with the intensification of competition and the commercialization of mature products, innovation is inevitably one of the sources of competitive advantage.
Forge ahead with innovation
Using automation technology to meet market demand
Clariant, a global provider of specialty chemicals and application solutions, is no exception, determined to improve experimental efficiency with innovative automation technology, striving to shorten the time to market for new products and achieve maximum investment return.
Today, we will take Clariant's case study to explore its high-throughput experimental journey and see how to easily face the rapid market development of specialty chemicals.
In order to accelerate scientific research to address a diverse product portfolio, Clariant has established the Clariant Innovation Center (CIC) in Frankfurt Hoechst, Germany, and built a laboratory that can provide central high-throughput experiments (HTE). Therefore, a high-capacity, capable, flexible, and stable technological environment is needed to serve its extensive research field, with automated and standardized equipment, specialized software tools, and alternative research technologies to increase the output of experiments, applications, and testing, committed to improving the efficiency and productivity of the development process.
Compared to research and development, automating repetitive processes such as production lines is relatively easy because it involves a series of static but repetitive actions. However, research and development is a constantly changing environment that requires smoother solutions.
—— Lucius Kemp
Clariant High Throughput Experimental Technology Module Manager
When considering automation research and development solutions, the Clariant Innovation Center ultimately chose Chemspeed's high-throughput and high output automation research and development platform to accelerate and standardize its specialty chemical research and development and innovation in the fields of nursing chemicals, catalysts, engineering plastics, and coatings. This is because it has innovative, automated, separately controlled and operated formula containers and process reactors, as well as its proprietary top mounted weighing and distribution (GDU) tool for solid, liquid, and high viscosity liquid materials, which can comprehensively handle automated distribution of different viscosity liquids, large amounts of solids, trace solids, etc,Solving the existing bottleneck problems, and more importantly, avoiding the occurrence of human errors, greatly improves the repeatability and reliability of experiments, and takes development speed and quality to a higher level.
Lucius Kemp continued, "The Chemspeed platform can eliminate repetitive experimental tasks while,canImprove flexibility based on different experimental task processes. We have utilized several platforms,The entire process, from chemical/ingredient distribution to synthesis, process development, and formulation, has been automated. At the same time, Chemspeed technology can be integrated into our high-throughput environment, enhancing the utilization of automation to assist research work. ”
Undoubtedly, in Clariant's case, Chemspeed's "plug and play" technology helps customers gain insights from diversity experimentsThe flexible advantage enables its R&D team to quickly assemble the required components and tools for conducting the required experiments, efficiently achieving project to project integration.
Application Solution
Special features for acceleration and standardizationChemical researchsend
01
Process research and optimization
For specialty chemicals, process research and optimization arevery importantLucius Kemp revealed, "Our laboratory is mainly divided into experimental area and application and testing area. In order to achievehigh-throughputofIn terms of experimental efficiency, we have 5 sets of Double Jacket Array Reactors, which can automatically run up to 80 synthesis reactions simultaneously. Each array reactor system is equipped with 16 x 13mL double jacket glass reactors and integrates functions such as inert atmosphere displacement, reflux, filtration, post-treatment, purification, etc., achieving rapid and efficient synthesis of compound libraries. '
If the main task of the array reactor is high-throughput synthesis, then the process optimization and scaling up are mainly completed in the 'Process Development Reactor'. The system is capable of running 6 independent kettle reactors simultaneously to complete high demand synthesis processes, process parameter evaluation/optimization, etc. Its real-time analysis and feedback control functions help optimize process conditions.
02
Formula and process condition screening
Appropriate formulation conditions are crucial for optimizing the performance of key reactants, and often require a significant amount of work (such as weighing, distribution, and combination) to discover. The Chemspeed platform simplifies these tasks. Lucius Kemp said, "If the formulation process requires high-energy mixing, temperature control, or pH monitoring, Chemspeed's formulation system (FORMAX) provides these functions. It not only has all the sample dispensing capabilities of an automatic dispensing system, but also adds 12 separately controlled formulation reactors for formulation screening and process condition screening. ”
03
sample preparation
In terms of application and testing, Lucius Kemp also stated that the Chemspeed (SWING) platform can be designed as a universal docking station for dedicated workstations, which can independently run tests and prepare samples, as well as operate in an automated mode as part of complex experimental processes. With simple docking of the required workstations, customized platforms can be quickly built for each project. ”
Undoubtedly, in Clariant's case, Chemspeed's "plug and play" technology helps customers gain insights from diversity experimentsThe flexible advantage enables its R&D team to quickly assemble the required components and tools for conducting the required experiments, efficiently achieving project to project integration.
Although scale and cost are important factors for global specialty chemical production companies to maintain competitiveness, research and innovation are the true driving forces for manufacturers' competitiveness. Faced with the continuous transformation of the specialty chemical business market, automation work is essentialflatTaiwan is not only one of the most important equipment in the development process, but the ultimate ideal is to be able to reproduce each step on automated instruments, making the development of highly complex specialty chemicals easy and simple.
Reference source:
The current situation and future development trend of the specialty chemical market（ https://m.sohu.com/a/540917338_121244248/ )
IHS (Global Specialty Chemicals Consumption Forecast for Major Regions)
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