SIBUR develops proprietary special component for production of rubbers and SBS polymers

MOSCOW, RUSSIA - Media OutReach - 30 January 2023 - SIBUR, the largest integrated petrochemicals company in Russia and one of the fastest-growing companies in the global petrochemicals industry, has completed the development of a proprietary technology for the production of n-Butyllithium, a polymerisation initiator for the production of synthetic rubbers and SBS polymers.

Rubbers and SBS polymers made using n-Butyllithium offer increased resistance to abrasion, more flexibility and a greater ability to recover after deformation, among other features, which have a positive impact on the consumer appeal of the end product – car tyres, shoe soles, etc. In the future, SIBUR plans to make enough of the component to meet its needs; notably, the Company has not ruled out the possibility of building its own facility to manufacture the component at one of its production sites.

"We started by reproducing a well-known 20th-century technology that remains widely used in the United States, Europe and China. In the course of their work, however, our experts tested a number of hypotheses and optimised the technology for the production of n-Butyllithium by reducing the number of stages and the amount of equipment involved, which will make production much more cost-effective overall", said Maxim Lipskikh, head of the plasticiser laboratory at NIOST, SIBUR's research and development centre.

All stages – from the laboratory phase to the completion of the first pilot tests – were completed in just seven months. The technology developed by SIBUR's scientists makes it possible to manufacture a product of the required quality that is in line with global benchmarks.

Elastomers based on synthetic rubbers are used in the road, footwear and tyre industries. In addition, Butyllithium is a valuable component in the organic synthesis of active pharmaceutical ingredients and is used in the production of agrochemicals and electronics.

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About SIBUR

SIBUR is Russia's largest integrated petrochemical company and one of the fastest growing global petrochemical players, with approximately 50,000 employees. The Company's unique vertically integrated business model enables it to deliver highly competitive products used in the consumer goods and automotive industries, as well as construction, energy, chemistry and other industries across 100 countries.

SIBUR helps to reduce CO₂ emissions stemming from the burning of oil and gas extraction by-products by processing them into valuable petrochemical products.

Learn more at: https://www.sibur.ru/en/