Research & Development

In order to ensure our leading position in polymers, our R&D is organized around three main axis:

1. Devise the molecular structures of future polymer generations

• Polymers are becoming more and more chemically complex in order to exhibit outstanding mechanical properties. Their production requires the use of versatile polymerization processes.

2. Develop key competences needed to be the leader

• Total Petrochemicals is a major worldwide player in Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Polystyrene and Rubber with an annual production of about 5.000 Kt.
  
  
• The R&D Centres in charge of these polymers are Total Petrochemicals Research at Feluy in Belgium, the GRL (Group of Research of Lacq) at Lacq in France and Total Petrochemicals Research and Technology Center at La Porte in Texas (USA).
  
  
• The technologies of these polymers are made up of three major components :
  

  - the catalysis (or the initiator for high pressure Polyethylene and for Polystyrene)
  - the processes
  - the products
  

• In polyolefins, the catalyst is the heart of the low pressure process. The polymerization catalysis is the first competence developed by Total Petrochemicals within the last twenty years, and acknowledged by the international scientific and industrial communities.
  We have developed broad expertise in chromium catalysis and in Ziegler-Natta catalysis, which we use for our annual production of 3.000 Kt Polyethylene and Polypropylene. We have a recognized leadership in metallocene catalysis for the production of new polyolefins.
  
  
• Our polymerization process portfolio includes several technologies (e.g. suspension and gas phase in low pressure for Polyethylene and Polypropylene, autoclave and tubular in high pressure for Polyethylene), either operated under licence, or developed in house. The combination of catalysis and process technologies enables Total Petrochemicals to cover a wide range of products, varying from high to low density Polyethylene and from homopolymer to copolymer Polypropylene. Moreover, Total Petrochemicals has acquired and developed ways to produce polyolefins for high technical level applications in order to reinforce its leading position by differentiating from its competitors. These new polyolefins with improved properties are bimodal or "metallocene" grades. Several pilot plants located at our R&D centers are able to simulate our industrial processes and to develop new ones.
  
  
• Fully aware of the growing importance of the heterophasic character of future advanced polymers, we have developed a polymer morphology expertise which enables us to create new grades with improved properties.
  These three major skill groups (catalyst processes, polymerization processes and polymer morphology) in combination with two other areas of excellence - polymer characterization and testing and polymer development and applications - lead to exceptional teams in our R&D organization.
  

3. R&D organization and location

• In both Europe and North America, all the links of the polymer development chain are located on the same R&D site, resulting in efficiency and synergies between them.
  Moreover, locating the R&D centers within the polymer manufacturing complexes increases the frequency of contact between manufacturing, marketing and research people. This reduces the product development cycle and time to market.
  

The success of our R&D organization is demonstrated by the fact that over 50% of our polymer grades were either created or modified in the last five years.