Hydrogenation of resins

The hydrogenation of resins is an established industrial process carried out using nickel catalysts, with NiSat 760 being particularly well suited for these applications. An effective hydrogenation catalyst is required to convert unsaturated aliphatic and/or aromatic structures in resins into saturated, colorless, stable, and transparent hydrogenated resins. As a result, hydrogenated resins exhibit improved oxidation stability, enhanced UV resistance, and superior color stability.

Resin hydrogenation is predominantly performed in slurry reactors. Typical feedstocks include C₉ hydrocarbon fractions and dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) obtained from petroleum refining. Under controlled hydrogenation conditions, residual double bonds are selectively saturated while preserving the desired resin backbone.

Hydrocarbon resins represent an important resin class for hydrogenation. These materials are widely used in the adhesive and coatings industries as tackifiers, adhesion promoters, and performance modifiers. Hydrogenated hydrocarbon resins improve adhesive strength, thermal stability, and compatibility within formulated systems.

NiSat 760 is a nickel-based hydrogenation catalyst developed for high activity, selectivity, and long service life in resin hydrogenation processes. NiSat catalysts also enable the selective production of customer-specific hydrogenated resins with tailored properties. Our experts support catalyst selection and process optimization through application development in our catalysis laboratory.