Research Projects

Objective: Development of technology for the production of Lithium from ores; Critical metals from used Li ion battery; Propylene Oxide; High Value Aromatics; Carbon Fibers from Petroleum Pitch Precursors and Coal Resin; DCDA; CyclohexanoneOxime from Cyclohexanone; and Bisphenol-A; Knowledgebase in the area of bulk chemical production: High quality patents and publications; and Human resource (in terms of trained man power such as Research Associates, Ph.D students and project fellows).

Summary: Indian chemical sector is one of the strategic industrial sectors in the country, contributing ~2.51% of the GDP and 15.95% of the country’s manufacturing sector GDP. With the increase in industrial activity, the demand for chemicals also increased, which resulted in higher international trade. Despite a growth in domestic manufacturing capacity, India remained a net importer of chemicals as capacity addition lagged demand growth and with certain chemical imports being cheaper than those produced within the country. Globally, bulk chemicals are the most traded chemicals (in terms of volume) and are the building blocks for host of products. Thus, Bulk Chemicals is one gap area for industry where CSIR can pitch in with its diversified expertise and portfolio. With a view to tap the opportunity in the area, CSIR has taken up a mission project on ‘Bulk Chemicals’. Eight CSIR laboratories viz. NCL, CSMCRI, IICT, IIP, IMMT, NML, NPL, and URDIP are participating in the project. CSIR-NCL, Pune is the Nodal laboratory in the mission. The mission mode project on Bulk Chemicals involves 10 Work Packages including patent search, freedom to practice, securing IPR component with each of the Work Packages have specified objectives.