The 2025 National Science and Technology Awards were announced, with a textile chemical fiber project winning the first-class prize—the 'Key Technologies for Green and Intelligent Manufacturing of Polyester Fiber Chain' led by Tongkun Group and Donghua University. This marks the first time a general fiber project has achieved this honor since carbon fiber technology won in 2017.
Technical Breakthrough: From 'Industrial Staple' to Self-Reliant System
Polyester fiber accounts for the largest share of China's chemical fiber output, with 70% of global production coming from China. This category directly affects the resolution of the 'grain-cotton competition' and industrial chain security. Led by Professor Wang Huaping from Donghua University, the team spent over a decade on collaborative research, building a full-process self-reliant technology system from PTA to polyester fiber.
Among the three core breakthroughs, the green manufacturing dimension pioneered a direct PTA-PET low-carbon model, developing environmentally friendly titanium-based catalysts to replace traditional antimony-based ones, solving the heavy metal residue problem. The intelligent manufacturing dimension achieved domestic substitution of DCS control systems, breaking foreign monopoly in core industrial control. The service-oriented manufacturing dimension used a 'multi-head multi-tail' polymerization platform to enable flexible customization of differentiated products.
Industrial Implementation: Regional Effects Behind 200 Billion RMB Sales
The technology has been deployed in industrial bases in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Xinjiang, covering over 10 leading companies. It generated over 200 billion RMB in new sales, 10 billion RMB in profits and taxes, and 1.8 billion USD in export earnings. This means the technology directly translates into production efficiency and cost advantages, not just lab results.
For buyers, this means significantly improved supply stability and quality consistency of polyester fiber. Traditional production often suffers from batch-to-batch color and strength variations, a common pain point for downstream weaving mills. The project's integrated process and quality control system drastically reduces defect rates, lowering inspection costs and return risks.
Industrial Cluster Dynamics: From Single-Point Competition to Systemic Synergy
Tongkun Group's base in Tongxiang, Zhejiang, along with clusters in Shengze, Jiangsu, and Changle, Fujian, now follows a new logic of collaboration. The 'one-head, three-tail' series-parallel composite polymerization technology allows a single production base to output multiple differentiated products simultaneously, enabling cross-regional agile manufacturing through digital linkage.
The implication for industrial clusters is clear: past competition relied on scale and price wars; future competition will hinge on technology platforms and system integration capabilities. Small and medium enterprises unable to access such self-reliant technology systems risk marginalization. Donghua University's National Key Laboratory of Advanced Fiber Materials provides a replicable model for industry-academia collaboration.
Global Impact: Open Innovation Behind Dual Awards
The International Science and Technology Cooperation Award was granted to Professor Elsa Reichmanis of Lehigh University, USA. She has collaborated with Donghua University for over a decade, promoting the International Conference on Advanced Fibers and Polymer Materials into the world's largest fiber-themed academic event. This award signals that China's textile technology breakthroughs are not achieved in isolation but through global cooperation.
For exporters, this means enhanced product standard influence from the self-reliant technology system. The project has established 14 national and industry standards, which may become de facto benchmarks in RCEP and Belt and Road markets. The 1.8 billion USD export earnings confirm this trend.