ReMAOlution

Novel organometallic catalysts through resource-efficient material stream utilization

In ReMAOlution, the material cycle for one of the most modern catalyst activators, methylaluminoxane (MAO), is closed by chemically modifying a relevantly large side stream into several novel C1-based activators for high-performance catalyst systems in polyolefin production. Within the project, these are tested along the entire value chain, both in the production of the catalysts and in their application, and compared with the systems established on the market. The new activators and catalyst systems will be fully characterized and their production is scaled up to an industrial scale in order to be able to offer them to the market in relevant quantities. Both the identification of the most efficient and optimal activator and each individual upscaling step are accompanied by intensive application tests along the commercial utilization chain.

Thanks to the close networking of the two cooperation partners LANXESS and LIKAT, the unique expertise of the individual partners in the field of metallocene development, production of activators and catalyst components and industrial application is combined in the ReMAOlution project. This joint and chemically innovative approach within the value chain enables a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions and a maximization of resource efficiency, which is not accessible through purely technical optimization. Furthermore, the innovative approach of modifying the side stream also enables the direct synthesis of previously unknown and potentially catalytically active metallocene systems, which can create new product properties in both heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysis. For example, new polymer types can be generated that can improve and facilitate both the mechanical and chemical recycling process of polyolefins. In order to ensure rapid and effective implementation of the new MAO qualities, in addition to in-depth scientific analysis and scaling on an industrial scale, the immediate use in the production of heterogeneous catalysts and the application in polyolefin synthesis is also tested and optimized in a targeted manner. The polyolefins produced in this way are also specified and characterized using analytical and rheological methods.