Available Technology
Novel iron catalyst for producing high-quality synthetic rubber
Technology:
Iron catalyst
Markets Addressed
Current sources of rubber include (1) rubber trees in Southeast Asia and Africa, and (2) synthetic rubber. To make high-quality synthetic rubber, a catalyst containing rare earth metal such as Neodymium is required. China possesses about 36 percent of the world's rare earth reserve, and supply has been limited due to restricted export.
Innovations and Advantages
The current invention is a novel iron catalyst that provides stereoselectivity to yield good quality synthetic rubber. The catalyst uses iron, the most abundant metal on earth, without depending on rare earth metals.
Additional Information
Keywords: Synthetic rubber, specialty catalyst, rare earth
Publication:
Raynaud J, Wu JY, Ritter T. 2012. Iron-catalyzed polymerization of isoprene and other 1,3-dienes. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 51(47):11805-8. doi: 10.1002/anie.201205152.
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Inventor(s):
Raynaud, Jean Bertrand
Ritter, Tobias
Wu, Jessica Yung
Categories:
For further information, please contact:
Vivian Berlin, Director of Business Development
(617) 496-0474
Reference Harvard Case #4000