Asahi Kasei to produce biomass acrylonitrile

Tongsuh Petrochemical, a fully owned subsidiary of Asahi Kasei based in Ulsan, South Korea, has received ISCC Plus accreditation for its acrylonitrile (AN) as a sustainable product, and production of AN utilizing biomass propylene will commence in February 2022.

The certification mechanism allows TSPC to manufacture and sell AN utilizing biomass raw materials allotted using the mass-balance technique.

Acrylic fiber, ABS resin, acrylamide, and a variety of other chemical products are all made with AN as a raw material. Carbon fiber for composites and nitrile rubber for medical gloves have seen particularly strong demand recently.

Measures to minimize CO2 emissions throughout the product chain of fossil fuel derivatives are gaining traction in order to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, and AN customers are increasingly trying to make goods with low CO2 emissions in order to contribute to GHG reduction.

By enhancing AN catalysts and processes based on original technology, as well as the procurement of biomass raw material, the Asahi Kasei Group will continue efforts to further reduce CO₂ emissions.