CCN:

Speaking of innovation, how does the company choose the direction of innovation?

Li Jun:

We need to control the direction of innovation-driven development, and innovation must be based on the strategy formulated by the parent company. Juhua started out as a fluorine chemical industry, and fluorine chemical industry is also Juhua's advantage. The next step is to focus on the field of fluorine chemical industry. Therefore, the first development focus is refrigerants. Juhua has the most complete refrigerant product series in China, from the first generation to the fourth generation of refrigerants, and then to hydrocarbon refrigerants. For an enterprise to be competitive, it must build an industrial ecosystem, achieve upstream and downstream integration, and promote the development of products in the direction of high-end, terminal, and differentiation. This is also the reason why we are doing a full refrigerant series. We must make the industry tense and resilient through innovation, and in terms of the entire market, there will be a smooth system to repair itself. Another focus is fluorine-containing polymers. After years of technical research, the biggest change in Juhua's fluorine polymer products is the continuous enrichment of varieties and the continuous expansion of new application varieties, from PTFE to FEP, PVDF, fluororubber, ETFE and other series of products. Next, we will continue to develop in the direction of high-end and differentiation.

CCN:

Juhua is the leader of domestic fluorine chemical industry. What do you think are the most promising development directions of fluorine chemical industry?

Li Jun:

Fluorine chemical industry is known as the "golden industry" due to its high technology, high performance and high added value. my country's fluorine chemical industry has developed rapidly and has become an important part of the country's strategic emerging industries. It is also a supporting material required for the development of other strategic emerging industries such as new energy and the upgrading of traditional industries. It plays a very important role in promoting the structural adjustment of my country's manufacturing industry and product upgrading.

In 2022, the demand for my country's fluorine chemical industry will be 2.9561 million tons, and the fluorine chemical market will reach 58.556 billion yuan. With the growth of major chlorine chemical enterprises in my country and the enhancement of their R&D capabilities, my country's fluorine chemical products are developing in the direction of scale, serialization, high quality, refinement and high added value. From the perspective of products, the refrigerant industry is still the largest market for fluorine chemical industry. With the continuous rise of new industries, the demand for high-end fluororubber, fluorine-containing polymers and chlorine fine chemical products will also increase.

Refrigerants are traditional products in the fluorine chemical industry, and there are four generations of products: CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs, and HFOs. Among them, the first generation of refrigerants has been eliminated, and the current mainstream in the market is the third generation of refrigerants. The independent technology of low-GWP fourth-generation refrigerant hydrofluoroolefin products (HFOs) is still lacking breakthroughs. The next step should start from the source of compound screening, performance evaluation, and synthesis process research, and increase the original innovation and research and development efforts.

There are many types of fluorine-containing polymer materials, including fluororesins, chlororubbers, and fluorocoatings. The petrochemical industry is the largest consumer of fluororesins, which mainly utilizes the corrosion resistance, high and low temperature resistance and other excellent properties of chlororesins. The second is the machinery industry, where chlororesins are processed into various parts; the electronic and electrical industry mainly utilizes the excellent dielectric properties of fluororesins, and the coating industry mainly utilizes its chemical and physical stability and self-cleaning properties.

Fluorine-containing fine chemicals mainly include fluorine-containing organic intermediates and fluorine-containing potassium salt electrolytes. Potassium hexachlorophosphate in fluorine-containing carp salt electrolytes is widely used in the field of electric new energy. At the same time, new products such as fluorine-containing electronic gases and pharmaceutical pesticide intermediates should also be developed.

The new energy track is still the key layout area for fluorine chemical companies. From the perspective of downstream uses, the development of strategic emerging industries such as semiconductors and big data has led to an increase in demand for high-end fluorine chemical products. Industries such as big data and chip semiconductors all need fluorine chemical products. For example, in data centers that undertake large amounts of data calculation and storage, liquid cooling products have advantages that traditional air-conditioning systems cannot match in solving high heat dissipation problems, while consuming less energy. At present, Juhua has already laid out this field.

In addition to the new energy field, the fluorine chemical industry is also constantly extending other high-end application scenarios downstream of the industrial chain. Deep processing and extending the industrial chain are the development direction of fluorine chemical industry. For example, relying on hydrofluoric acid products, we can explore the deep processing and development of electronic-grade hydrofluoric acid as a supporting product for power batteries, electronic chips, solar photovoltaics and other projects, and we can also develop fluorine-containing oilfield chemicals and fluorocarbon coatings.

CCN:

How can a company achieve low-carbon development?

Li Jun:

The development of a low-carbon economy requires companies to assume more social responsibilities and actively take low-carbon actions in the course of their operations.

On the one hand, in the process of chemical production, Juhua actively builds a green and low-carbon technology system, drives the transformation of corporate production methods with digital transformation, promotes new generation information technologies such as 5G, big data, and artificial intelligence to improve the energy, resources, and environmental management level of enterprises, and empowers green manufacturing. On the other hand, we will unswervingly promote the upgrading of traditional industries, use new energy-saving and environmentally friendly technologies, new products, and new processes to improve production processes; focus on the future new energy and new materials fields to produce green and low-carbon products. At the same time, Juhua has been working hard to create a green circular industrial ecosystem, and through resource utilization, reduction and reuse, "eat dry and squeeze out", and embark on a path of green and sustainable development.

For state-owned enterprises, making money is not the only purpose. What Juhua needs to do is to adhere to the country's major issues, effectively give play to the political, economic and social attributes of state-owned enterprises, and actively serve the national strategy, the interests of the people, and economic and social development. Juhua is willing to take the lead in practicing green and low-carbon development, actively rush to the front line to explore and tackle key problems, and take the initiative to assume social responsibilities and the mission of serving the country through industry.

Source: China Chemical Information Weekly