Denka ends low-carbon acetylene project with Transform Materials

Tokyo – Denka Corp. has discontinued a project to develop low-carbon acetylene as its US startup partner Transform Materials has been dissolved, the Japanese group said 7 April.

The two companies entered a joint R&D agreement in June 2023 to develop a low-carbon technology to produce acetylene using Transform Materials’ microwave plasma process.

The technology can transform methane to acetylene and hydrogen, thereby reducing
carbon emissions during the production of acetylene, according to Denka.

Acetylene is a raw material used in the manufacture of chloroprene rubber and acetylene black.

Under the agreement, Transform Materials was to supply equipment with capacity to produce 1,600 tonnes/year of acetylene at Denka’s plant in Omuta City, Fukuoka Japan.

The test facility was set for start-up in first half of fiscal 2026, with the R&D project to run until the end of 2028.

Despite the halt in the project, Denka renewed its commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050 and CO2 emissions cut in the acetylene chain.

The Tokyo-based group reiterated that it would continue its efforts to develop new technologies for the production of low-carbon acetylene.

According to Denka, the impact of the changes will be ‘insignificant’ on the group’s consolidated financial results for the fiscal years ending in March 2025 and March 2026.