The chemical fiber industry is witnessing a landmark moment. In 2025, the first prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award was awarded to the project 'Key Technologies for Green and Intelligent Manufacturing of the Polyester Fiber Industry Chain,' led by Tongkun Group and involving ten units including Donghua University. This is not only the first time in years that the textile chemical fiber sector has won this level of award, but it also signifies that China's polyester fiber industry has completed a leap from catching up to leading in terms of independent technology systems.
Three Main Lines of Technological Breakthrough
Polyester fiber, as the 'staple food' of the textile industry, directly affects the stability of downstream industries with trillions of yuan in output value. China's chemical fiber production accounts for 70% of the global total, with polyester fiber ranking first among all types. Any technological bottleneck in this chain could trigger a chain reaction. This project precisely targeted this core pain point. After over a decade of collaborative research between industry, academia, and research institutes, an advanced manufacturing system with independent control was established.
Green manufacturing is the first main line. The project pioneered a PTA-PET direct coupling low-carbon manufacturing model. By replacing traditional antimony-based catalysts with environmentally friendly titanium-based catalysts, heavy metal pollution was reduced at the source. Meanwhile, the invention of crude oil-based chemical fiber oils and green oiling technology opened up a path for full life-cycle low-carbon production. This means that the traditional label of high energy consumption and high emissions in polyester fiber production is being systematically rewritten.
The intelligent manufacturing dimension focuses on full-process automation upgrades. The project achieved large-scale domestic substitution of DCS control systems and established an intelligent system integrating process and quality control. This system is not simply equipment replacement; it deeply integrates data flow with production flow, forming a replicable and scalable 'China solution' for industrial upgrading. For downstream buyers, this means significantly improved product consistency and stability.
Service-oriented manufacturing is the third main line, and it represents the most forward-looking aspect of the industry. The project pioneered a 'multi-head, multi-tail' series-parallel composite polymerization technology platform, creating a modular digital linkage system with 'one head, three tails.' This enables polyester fiber enterprises to achieve differentiated product customization and multi-region collaborative agile manufacturing. In other words, the traditional 'commodity' production model is transforming into a service-oriented manufacturing model that responds quickly to customized orders.
Chain Reactions in the Industry
The implementation of this technology system has already yielded quantifiable economic and social benefits. According to publicly available industry data, the results have been promoted in industrial bases in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Xinjiang, and at more than 10 enterprises in the industry, generating cumulative new sales of over 200 billion yuan, profits and taxes of over 10 billion yuan, and export earnings of 1.8 billion US dollars. More critically, energy consumption and defect rates have been significantly reduced.
For textile clusters such as Shengze and Keqiao, the improvement in upstream polyester fiber quality and cost optimization will directly transmit to the fabric and garment sectors. Buyers can expect more stable raw material supply, lower defect rates, and shorter customized delivery cycles. At the same time, Tongkun Group, leveraging the project's demonstration effect, was selected as one of the first national 'Zero-Waste Enterprise' typical cases, providing a benchmark for green transformation across the entire chemical industrial park.
The Deep Value of International Cooperation
In this award ceremony, the International Science and Technology Cooperation Award won by Professor Elsa Reichmanis, Chair of the International Advisory Committee of the State Key Laboratory for Advanced Fiber Materials at Donghua University, is also noteworthy. A member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, National Academy of Inventors, and American Academy of Arts and Sciences, she has long focused on semiconductor materials but has engaged in deep cooperation with Donghua University in fiber materials science. She has served as academic committee chair for multiple sessions of the International Conference on Advanced Fiber and Polymer Materials, promoting it to become the world's largest fiber-themed academic event.
This case reveals a trend: technological innovation in the textile industry is no longer confined to its own field but increasingly integrates multidisciplinary forces such as materials science, information technology, and mechanical engineering. International cooperation is no longer just about importing equipment or technology but involves deep participation in discipline building and talent cultivation. For domestic enterprises, this means they can more proactively integrate global intellectual resources when tackling technological challenges in the future.
The Next Step in Industrial Upgrading
The awarding of these two prizes affirms the achievements of over a decade of industry-academia-research collaboration and points the way forward. The establishment of an independent technology system for the entire polyester fiber chain does not mean the end. From 'Zero-Waste Enterprise' to 'Smart Manufacturing Demonstration Factory,' from green standards to service-oriented manufacturing, the key next step lies in how to more widely promote this system to small and medium-sized enterprises and continuously iterate.
For foreign trade enterprises, this technology brings not only cost advantages but also a powerful tool to cope with international green trade barriers. The establishment of full life-cycle green standards means that Chinese polyester fiber products now have more solid data support in carbon emission accounting and environmental certification. For factories, the domestic substitution of DCS control systems and the integration of process and quality control will significantly reduce dependence on imported equipment and increase production line flexibility.