June 2023
An exclusive licencing alliance agreement has been signed by ExxonMobil Catalysts and Licencing LLC and Axens, enabling Axens to offer ExxonMobil's MTBE Decomposition Technology for high purity isobutylene in its product line.
With this technology, Axens' customers can better meet the growing demand for petrochemical intermediates over the next ten years by producing butyl rubber and high-reactivity polyisobutylene.
As per the agreement, Axens has been granted the global authority to promote, licence, and offer technical assistance and engineering work for the creation, building, and activation of new MTBE Decomposition units. Through an integrated unit with MTBE and MTBE Decomposition technologies or a standalone unit using MTBE Decomposition technology, this alliance builds on collective expertise to provide customers with isobutylene purity of at least 99.99 wt%.
ExxonMobil MTBE Decomposition technology is a continuous fixed bed process that catalytically breaks down MTBE into isobutylene and methanol. It is a cost-effective, commercially proven method. By including this technology in its portfolio, Axens strengthens its long-term relationship with ExxonMobil Catalysts and Licencing LLC and completes its offer.
Modern butyl rubber technology is built on ExxonTM butyl rubber. It has a highly saturated backbone because it is a copolymer of isobutylene and a tiny amount of isoprene. ExxonTM butyl rubber, with its exceptional air-barrier capabilities, ageing resistance, flex fatigue resistance, and vibration damping properties, is used extensively in many applications, including tyre innertubes, curing bladders and envelopes, hoses, adhesives and sealants, along with a number of many other rubber products for both consumer and industrial use.
Major players in the High Purity Isobutylene Market, including G Zibo Qixiangtengda Chemcial Co., Ltd., Evonik Industries AG., TPC Group, Exxon Mobil Corporation, Â Bioenergies, LyondellBasell Industries Holdings BV and others, are attempting to increase market demand by investing in research and development operations.