Symyx Technologies said Thursday that Celanese has deployed a new catalyst intended to reduce the manufacturing cost of vinyl acetate. Celanese, a producer of industrial chemicals, is using the catalyst in one plant initially, with plans for roll out to additional plants dependent upon commercial results.
The catalyst lead was discovered by Symyx working under a research collaboration with Celanese. Symyx will earn milestone payments based on the initial commercialization, and will receive royalties from vinyl acetate production commencing with deployment in a second plant.
Vinyl acetate is an intermediate chemical used as a monomer to produce a range of polymers used in the adhesives, coatings and textiles industries, as well as in packaging, footwear and floor tile applications.