Laboratory of Innovation, Scale-up, and Intensification of Polymerization processes – LISIP

The LabCom LISIP: Laboratory for Innovation, Scale-up and Intensification of Polymerization processes is a common effort between the laboratory Chimie, Catalyse, Polymères et Procédés (C2P2-UMR 5265) and the SME Activation. One of the strengths of this project stems from two types of very different innovations: scientific development and process strategies. These innovations will be jointly implemented using two approaches. On the one hand, the scientists from the C2P2 will work with the engineers at Activation in order to help them expand their skill sets and knowledge base to include catalytic polymerizations using different types of olefin polymerization processes as working examples. Two novel, proprietary catalytic systems for the production of original polyolefins with controlled architectures will be used as example technologies. This approach will contribute to a significant broadening of Activation’s attractiveness to industrial partners, both nationally and internationally. Very importantly it will allow them to develop commercial contacts for the formulation and evaluation of polymerization catalysts. Conversely, Activation will work with the engineers and researchers of the C2P2 to teach them to integrate real-world challenges that they face in process development and scale-up into the fundamental scientific research projects developed by the latter. This will represent a significant advantage for the research performed by the academic partner as they will be able to develop their fundamental science in ways that are more amenable to scale-up and commercialization.
It is important to underline that different types of reactor technologies and scales will be implemented during the activities undertaken by the LISIP consortium. Small, lab scale technologies based on a modified continuous reactor platform to be installed at the C2P2 in December of 2015 will be used to develop strategies for process intensification, including the transposition of the batch technologies described in innovations 1a and 1b below to continuous processes for later scale-up in collaboration with Activation. Similarly, unique gas phase polymerization plants developed by the C2P2, and installed in their laboratory will be used to teach the engineers at Activation about gas phase polymerization. In early 2017, robotic reactor platforms for advanced catalytic polymerization will be installed in the Axel’one campus (Axel'One Campus platform is the upstream branch of the industry-research-SME complex intended for collaborative scale-up of academic research) alongside a 40L pilot scale reactor provided by Activation for the tasks related to scale-up, provision of kg batches of the telechelic and laterally functionalized polyolefins made during the project. In addition to the Axel’one environment, LISIP will also benefit from being directly associated with the newly created Technology Pole Lyon-Polymer Science and Engineering. This pole associates the C2P2 laboratory, the laboratory Ingénierie des Matériaux Polymères (IMP – UMR 5223) and seven industrial partners (Total, Hutchinson, Bluestar Silicons, Solvay, Arkema, Toray and Nexans) and has the principal objective of intensifying the research partnerships between the academic laboratories and industry. In addition to the shared objectives of long-term development of new products, the combination of the integration of the Axel’one platform and the creation of the the pole Lyon-PSE will contribute positively to the continued, long term existence of LISIP after the 3 year development period.
Finally, in terms of timing, it is expected that Phase 1 of the LISIP LabCom project will begin the 1 of September 2016, during which time a laboratory contract will be negotiated, and reactor platforms to be used in the project will be implemented. This will allow us to start the full scale project 6 months later to coincide with the opening of Axel’one Campus.