Nairit Co.- New Manufacturing Technologies and Materials

1. Nairit Co.- New Manufacturing Technologies and Materials Prof. Albert Gevorkyan December 2-6,2002 Lisbon

2. Our History • Nairit SPCSC – Nairit Co. is a big diversified enterprise in Republic of Armenia The works for chloroprene rubber production on the basis of carbide acetylene was started in 1933 and in 1940 the first Armenian chloroprene rubber (“Sevanit”) was produced Currently we develop and produce acetylene from natural gas, carboxylic acids, chlorine, caustic soda, sodium hypochlorite, chloroprene from oil ravs, quite a number chloroprene rubbers and latexes of different grades Today Nairit SPCSC consists of the following structural subdivisions: • Research Center (RC) • Research-experimental production (pilot-production plant) • Chemical works (manufacture complex) • Designing Center

3. Our Activities • RC comprising 15 research laboratories and departments is a big diversified research center that is carrying out fundamental and applied studies in monomer and polymer chemistry, composites, industrial environment protection, toxicology and development of new low waste processes and products • RC is carrying out extensive research in improving some chloroprene production units, development of new chloroprene rubber and latex grades, halogenated polymers, water dispersible paints, new high quality adhesives, effective hydroinsulating and anticorrosive materials treatment of waste waters and gas effluents etc.

4. SYNTHESIS OF NEW DIFFERENT FUNCTIONAL GROUPS-CONTAINING CHLOROPRENE COPOLYMER RUBBERS AND LATEXES AND COMPOSITES ON THEIR BASIS (project A-704) Project Goal: • to create scientific requisites, development of recipes and to elaborate technologies of new chloroprene copolymer latexes and rubbers containing various functional groups as well as the production of polymer composites on their basis

5. Our Ideas • The incorporation of relatively small amounts of functional groups of different chemical nature into the macromolecular chain will allow to perform a purposeful synthesis of polymeric materials possessing specified combination of properties, macromolecules composition and structure actually remaining unchanged. • Polymeric materials produced by this method will have a variety of specific properties: 1) increased adhesive affinity to different substrates and surfaces, 2) heat and cold resistance, 3) biological activity, incombustibility; 4) it can be the result of the presence of functional groups in the macro molecular chain as well as its ability to form three-dimensional (cross-linked) structures as a result of intermolecular reactions

6. Table 1Physico-mechanical Properties of wet gels and cured filnig on the basis of latex samples

7. What we achieved Fig 1. Relative elongation of a cured film pn (%) (1) and a wet gel pn (2,3) as well as conventional tensile strength of a cured films to (MPa) (4,5) of carboxyl containing copolymer latexes of chloroprene as a function of rosin content Ck mass parts (1,2,4) and methacrylic acid content Cmak (mass parts) (3,5) Experimental data given in fig 1 show evidence that quality indices of new synthesized carboxyl containing latex chloroprene copolymers greatly depend upon the content of functional carboxyl groups in a molecular chain and rosin which is introduced into a hydrocarbon phase of polymerization media.

8. Some details • The studies have shown that depending on a chosen emulsion polymerization procedure which affects a particle formation mechanism their morphology radically differs. • The phase conversion has been first found in these studies and it consists in the structure change of polymer colloid particles in the process of their formation in two-stage polymerization. • These conversions are connected with disintegration of primary (“seed”) particles and conversion of polymer phases constituting a particle.

9. Some details • The following comonomers containing functional groups will be used for purposeful synthesis of new chloroprene copolymer latexes and rubbers: (meth) acrylic, malcic, fumaric, itaconic acids, malcic and phthalic anhydride, malcin – and phthalimides, dimethacrylate (tri) ethylene glycol, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate and acryl amidotrioxylmethyl methane. • Depending on the nature of functional groups their quantity in a copolymer chain will vary over the range of 0.2-5.0 mass%.

10. Application • Manufacture of rubber industrial goods by an ionic deposition method (acid and alkali resistant protective gloves, radio zonde shells, etc.), impregnating compositions for rubber cords • Finishing materials for manufacture of genuine and artificial leathers and furs • As adhesive compositions in light, rubber industrial goods, woodworking and furniture industries in construction engineering • emulsions, anticorrosive and protective coatings • Composites (rubber mixtures) for rubber industrial goods, cable, tire and other adjacent branches of industry.

11. Russia Ukraine Iran China India Syria Poland Germany Switzerland Netherlands Great Britain Spain USA Our partners Partners - more 500 companies and institutions in CIS and abroad

12. What we want • Contract R&D and sales of the product • Scientific-Technical information exchange • Scientific-technical cooperation in the form of participation in International conferences, symposiums, products exhibitions, etc. • We are ready to cooperate in tackling specific tasks connected with synthesis, recipe and process development and also the extension of the applications of chloroprene rubbers and latexes and composites on their basis

13. How to find us • 70, Bagratunyats str., Yerevan, 375029, Armenia • Tel: + 3741 522073 • Fax: + 3741 442599 • e-mail: nairit@arminco.com