The_Catalyst_Review_April_2023 - 11

SPECIAL FEATURE
ABOUT POLYGEL
Polygel Group, a specialty chemicals manufacturing organisation, is headquartered in Singapore with manufacturing plants in India
and in Brunei. Polygel India (Nerofix Adhesives Pvt. Ltd.) is a 40:60 joint venture with Kansai Nerolac Paints Ltd., which produces
adhesives and other construction chemicals. Polygel Organometallics, Brunei (POBSB) is a joint venture with the Government of
Brunei (65:35 equity). Brunei's location serves the business well, as the supply chain with China, India, Singapore & Malaysia and other
ASEAN countries comes under Free Trade Agreements. Polygel's product offering includes organo-titanates, zirconates, vanadiumbased
catalysts and other additives for plastic and coating applications. It serves Fortune-100 chemical companies globally in 50-plus
countries. There are strong research engagements with Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) and Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB).
Polygel is a growing and integrated chemical business with strong focus on innovation, new products and process development.
Particular thrust is on green and recycling technologies with minimum waste.
Polygel also offers its customers a Contract Research and Manufacturing Service (CRAMS). The focus is mainly on the homogeneous
catalysis besides speciality molecules. It is the only company to do so in the ASEAN region. The salient point is to be able to provide
catalysts to Licensors in ASEAN region under CRAMS. Recently, it has entered into an advanced phase with a Global Leading Licensor.
Polygel R&D centre in Brunei is adequately equipped with a gram-level synthesis laboratory and kilo-scale pilot plants and
performance testing facilities. It houses pressure autoclaves for performance testing with a gas chromatography and a high-pressure
liquid chromatography for routine chemical analysis.
Polygel group is also keen on increasing its manufacturing footprint by collaborating with like-minded partners. The company
envisions to establish itself as a reliable supplier of quality products in electro-voltaic (EV) components and into precious metal
recycling, lithium recycling and plastic-to-graphene business.
Your Author
Suhas P. Katdare, PhD, is a Principal Scientist at Polygel Brunei, where he leads next-generation catalysts
development for Polygel and its customers. Suhas obtained his doctorate from National Chemical Laboratory,
Pune India in the area of Catalysis and Inorganic Chemistry in the year 2000. After working in the area of ionic
liquids for industrial processes as a Postdoctoral research fellow at the Queen's University, Belfast, UK, he
started his industrial career in the process and product development. Suhas has authored many international
publications and patents in the area of catalysis. Dr. Suhas can be contacted at info@polygelbrunei.com.
References
1. Kirk Othmer Encyclopaedia of Chemical Technology, Vol. 25 (5th Ed.), 2007, PP 71-158; Titanium Compounds, Organic.
2. Manßen M, Schafer L., Chem. Soc. Rev., 49 (2020) 6947-6994; Titanium catalysis for the synthesis of fine chemicals - development and trends.
3. US 3091625 (1963) Preparation of organic titanates.
4. US 4284793 (1981) Method for producing Plasticizers.
5. US 2006/0041158 A1 (2006) Method for the production of an Ester.
6. US 5532392 (1996) Process for the preparation of methyl fatty acid esters starting from Natural oil or fat, methyl esters obtained in this way and use thereof.
7. US 2012/0232181A1 (2012) Catalyst and their use.
8. US6084,042 (2000) Mixed Titanium-Vanadium catalyst for solution ethylene polymerization.
The Catalyst Review
April 2023
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