By Liz White, UT staffTokyo-Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corp. (AKCC) is to license its efficient, low-waste cyclohexanol process to Chinese company Shijiazhuang Coking & Chemical Group Co. Ltd (SCCG). Cyclohexanol is used to make adipic acid, an intermediate for nylon 6:6 and polyurethanes, and caprolactam, an intermediate for nylon 6. SCCG will construct a 100 kilotonnes per annum plant using the cyclohexanol technology in a chemical park in Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province, about 280 km southwest of Beijing. Start-up is scheduled for autumn 2007. SCCG, which produces coke and byproducts including benzene, wanted to make cyclohexanone from its benzene to supply a caprolactam plant planned by Shijiazhuang Chemical Fibre Co. Ltd, part of Sinopec Group. AKCC's cyclohexanol process uses benzene as feedstock and makes the alcohol via the intermediate cyclohexene. The Japanese group said it developed the route to make its nylon 66 operations more competitive. According to Asahi Kasei, the process has "outstanding economic efficiency and environmental compatibility with extremely low waste generation." AKCC has used it commercially at its Mizushima Works since 1990. After successive plant expansions capacity is now 170 ktpa "
