The carbon footprint of a ton of polyester fiber is transitioning from 'industrial staple' to 'green engine.' The 2025 National Science and Technology Progress Award first prize has brought the technological competition in this industry chain to light—Tongkun Group and Donghua University, along with ten other institutions, won the award for their 'Green and Intelligent Manufacturing Key Technologies for the Polyester Fiber Industry Chain' project. This marks the first time in eight years that the textile and chemical fiber sector has claimed the top national science award, signaling a shift from 'following' to 'leading.'
Technological Breakthrough: From Single-Point Innovation to Full-Chain Restructuring
Polyester fiber accounts for over 70% of China's chemical fiber output and more than 70% of global production, making it the true 'industrial staple.' However, technological barriers have long existed across the chain: high energy consumption in upstream PTA and PET production, reliance on imported catalysts in the spinning process, and insufficient capability for customizing differentiated downstream products. The award-winning project introduced a 'PTA-PET direct coupling low-carbon manufacturing model,' integrating previously separate raw material preparation and polymerization steps, reducing carbon emissions by over 15% compared to traditional methods. Additionally, eco-friendly titanium-based catalysts replaced heavy metal antimony catalysts, eliminating pollution risks at the source.
On the smart manufacturing front, the project achieved large-scale domestic replacement of DCS control systems, enabling real-time linkage of process parameters and quality data. This means a single production line can switch between producing different fiber specifications without downtime for changeovers. According to industry public data, the technology has been deployed in over 10 factories across Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Xinjiang, reducing defect rates by about 30% and energy consumption by 12%.
Industry Impact: The Logic Behind 200 Billion in New Sales
The direct economic returns from the technology are striking: cumulative new sales exceeded 200 billion yuan, with profits and taxes surpassing 10 billion yuan and export earnings reaching $1.8 billion. But more noteworthy is the underlying structural adjustment. Previously, the polyester fiber industry relied on scale expansion to lower costs, leading to overcapacity and intensified homogeneous competition. The core value of this technology system lies in 'service-oriented manufacturing'—through a 'one-head, three-tail' modular polymerization platform, factories can quickly customize functional fibers (e.g., flame-retardant, antibacterial, moisture-wicking) based on downstream brand needs, transforming manufacturing from a 'cost center' to a 'profit center.'
For buyers, this means a qualitative leap in supply chain responsiveness. Custom fiber delivery cycles, once typically 45 days, can now be compressed to under 20 days. Meanwhile, the carbon footprint data from green production helps apparel brands meet carbon tariff compliance requirements in markets like the EU.
Industry-Academia Collaboration: A Closed Loop from Lab to Factory
The decade-long project reflects a mature model of industry-academia collaboration in China's textile sector. Donghua University's State Key Laboratory for Advanced Fiber Materials provided fundamental research support, while leading enterprises like Tongkun Group handled pilot-scale testing and industrialization. The result is a complete intellectual property pool including 76 invention patents, 10 software copyrights, and 14 national and industry standards. Notably, project leader Wang Huaping also serves as co-director of a joint laboratory between Donghua and Tongkun, ensuring seamless technology transfer from papers to production lines.
The concurrent International Science and Technology Cooperation Award was given to Professor Elsa Reichmanis of Lehigh University in the U.S. She has co-trained graduate students with Donghua, several of whom have entered national talent programs. This underscores that future technological competition is not just about hardware and capital, but also about integrating global intellectual resources.