The 2025 National Science and Technology Awards have been announced, with the textile and chemical fiber sector achieving a significant milestone. The project 'Key Technologies for Green and Intelligent Manufacturing of the Polyester Fiber Industry Chain,' led by Tongkun Group and jointly completed by ten institutions including Donghua University, won the First Prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award. This is a historic breakthrough following the 2017 carbon fiber project and the 2014 bobbin dyeing project, marking the transition of China's chemical fiber independent technology system from 'point breakthroughs' to 'chain coverage.'
Three Technological Dimensions Reshaping Industry Logic
The project addresses two strategic needs: the security of the polyester fiber industry chain and international competition. After over a decade of collaborative research, it has built an autonomous advanced manufacturing system. Core breakthroughs are in three dimensions:
- **Green Manufacturing**: Pioneered a PTA-PET direct coupling low-carbon model, developed environmentally friendly titanium-based catalysts and crude oil-based chemical fiber oils, and established full lifecycle green standards.
- **Intelligent Manufacturing**: Achieved large-scale domestic substitution of DCS control systems, built a unified process and quality control system, creating a replicable industrial upgrade solution.
- **Service-oriented Manufacturing**: Pioneered a 'multi-head multi-tail' series-parallel composite polymerization platform, enabling modular digital linkage for differentiated products, driving deep integration of manufacturing and services.
To date, the project has formed a complete independent intellectual property system including 76 authorized invention patents, 10 software copyrights, and 14 national and industry standards. The technology has reached an internationally leading level.
Economic Impact: From Lab to Production Line
The technology has been deployed in industrial bases in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Xinjiang, and in over 10 enterprises, with cumulative new sales exceeding 200 billion RMB, profits and taxes over 10 billion RMB, and export earnings of 1.8 billion USD. This means that in the polyester fiber segment, where China accounts for over 70% of global output, it now possesses not only scale advantages but also full-chain technical control from raw material processes to end services.
For downstream buyers, the direct benefit of technology maturity is improved product consistency and customization capabilities. For the industry chain, the modular platform lowers the production threshold for differentiated products, helping to alleviate homogenization competition. Meanwhile, the establishment of green standards provides a technical foundation for carbon footprint certification for exports to European and American markets.
International Cooperation Award: Strengthening Global Links
The International Science and Technology Cooperation Award was granted to Professor Elsa Reichmanis of Lehigh University. Since 2013, she has collaborated deeply with Donghua University's State Key Laboratory, co-training talents, publishing high-level papers, and serving as chair of the academic committee for the Advanced Fibers and Polymer Materials International Conference. This award indicates that China's fiber materials discipline is transitioning from 'bringing in' to 'two-way empowerment.'
Impact on Industrial Clusters
Tongkun Group, as the lead unit, has been selected as a national 'Zero-Waste Enterprise' model and a 'National Excellent Intelligent Manufacturing Demonstration Factory.' The Tongxiang industrial cluster in Zhejiang is expected to be the first to benefit from technology diffusion, driving surrounding small and medium chemical fiber enterprises towards green and intelligent transformation. The deployment in Xinjiang implies a technological upgrade of western textile raw material processing capabilities.
Industry Insights: Turning Technology Dividends into Procurement Advantages
For textile industry professionals, the national science award is not just an honor but a signal that the technology has reached industrial maturity. The full-chain autonomous control of polyester fiber, the 'industrial staple,' will directly improve the stability and cost structure of raw material supply for downstream fabric companies.