Polyester fiber, which accounts for over 70% of China's chemical fiber output, is witnessing a historic leap in its full-chain technology. The 2025 National Science and Technology Progress Award First Prize was awarded to the 'Key Technologies for Green and Intelligent Manufacturing in the Polyester Fiber Industry Chain' project, led by Tongkun Group and involving ten institutions including Donghua University. After more than a decade of research, this project has finally achieved the highest honor in China's science and technology field.
Technological Breakthrough: From Single-Point Innovation to Full-Chain Restructuring
The core value of this award-winning project lies in its systematic restructuring of the entire polyester fiber value chain, rather than a single technological breakthrough. The project pioneered a PTA-PET direct-coupled low-carbon manufacturing model, fundamentally reducing carbon emissions from raw materials to fiber production. This was complemented by environmentally friendly titanium-based catalysts and green oiling technologies, enabling the establishment of full lifecycle green standards. On the smart manufacturing front, the project achieved domestic replacement of DCS control systems and built an integrated process-quality management system, creating a replicable industrial upgrade blueprint. Notably, the 'multi-head and multi-tail' series-parallel polymerization platform enables flexible customization of differentiated products and multi-region collaborative manufacturing, embedding service-oriented manufacturing into traditional chemical fiber production.
Industrial Impact: The Logic Behind 200 Billion Yuan in Sales
Data provides the most intuitive evidence of technological value. To date, the project has generated over 200 billion yuan in new sales, more than 10 billion yuan in profits and taxes, and $1.8 billion in export earnings. These figures reflect substantial reductions in energy consumption and defect rates, marking a tangible shift from 'following' to 'leading' in China's polyester fiber industry. For downstream buyers, this means more stable supply, lower-carbon raw materials, and greater customization flexibility. For foreign trade companies, the proprietary IP system and internationally leading product standards directly enhance export pricing power and market entry barriers.
Industry-University Collaboration: The Win-Win Model of Donghua and Tongkun
The project's lead researcher, Wang Huaping, is from Donghua University, with significant contributions from Academician Zhu Meifang's team, while Tongkun Group served as the primary corporate entity. This 'university + leading enterprise' model has proven effective in textiles. Donghua also won the International Science and Technology Cooperation Award, with Professor Elsa Reichmanis, a U.S. National Academy of Engineering member, recognized for her long-term contributions to Sino-U.S. fiber materials collaboration. Tongkun Group has been selected as one of the first national 'Zero-Waste Enterprise' models, with its smart manufacturing factory becoming an industry benchmark.
Industry Implications: From Single-Point Awards to Systemic Competition
Between 2012 and 2020, the textile sector produced 28 national science and technology awards, including the 2017 carbon fiber project and 2014 yarn dyeing project, which were single-point breakthroughs. This full-chain polyester fiber project's first prize signals that competition has shifted to systemic capabilities. For factories, future technology investments must cover the entire chain from raw materials to manufacturing and services. For buyers, it means prioritizing suppliers with comprehensive green certifications, smart manufacturing, and customization capabilities.