Polychloroprene Production - Cost Analysis - CR E21A

Book excerpt: This report presents a cost analysis of Chloroprene Rubber (also known as Polychloroprene) production from butadiene and chlorine. 'The process examined is a typical vapor phase butadiene chlorination process, followed by a typical emulsion polymerization process. In this process butadiene is first chlorinated producing two chlorinated isomers, 1,4-dichloro 2-butene and 3,4-dichloro 1-butene. In a second step, 1,4-isomers are isomerized to 3,4-dichloro 1-butene. This chemical is then dehydrochlorinated in the presence of caustic soda producing chloroprene and sodium chloride. Finally, chloroprene is polymerized to form Polychloroprene. This report was developed based essentially on the following reference(s): (1) "Chloroprene", Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, 5th edition (2) "Polychloroprene", Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, 5th edition Keywords: Dupont, Chloroprene Rubber, Neoprene, Chlorination, Neoprene, Chloroprene Rubber, 2-Chlorobuta-1,3-Diene, Synthetic Rubbers