Incumbent fossil-derived acrylic acid (petro-AA) is produced today from propylene oxidation via a 2-step process and is used primarily in superabsorbent polymers (SAPs), coatings, and adhesives. Procter & Gamble (P&G) recently developed a proprietary gas-phase chemical process technology to produce renewable acrylic acid (bio-AA) via lactic acid (LA) dehydration in one step and with the highest ever reported yield and selectivity, and long catalyst longevity. The process is a heterogeneous gas-phase dehydration of LA that occurs over an amorphous and partially-dehydrated polyphosphate catalyst MH2(1-x)PO(4-x). The process requires an elevated partial pressure of water since the water transforms the catalyst from its precursor form to its active form. However, the presence of water is deemed counterintuitive since the reaction being catalyzed removes water from the lactic acid feed. The residence time of the reactants in the reactor is less than 3 s, and the bio-AA yield and selectivity achieved are 85 - 90 mol%. Bio-SAP produced from this bio-AA had the same performance as incumbent petro-SAP. Compared to the petro-AA process, the P&G gas-phase process emits less greenhouse gases (GHG), uses less non-renewable energy (NREU), and is expected to have lower production costs long term. Finally, the P&G technology is based on 22 granted US patents, 74 granted patents in other geographies, and a number of patent applications.

Award Address (ACS Award for Affordable Green Chemistry sponsored by Dow and endowed by Rohm and Haas Company). Renewable Acrylic Acid enables Bio Economy of Superbsorbent Polymers, Coatings, Adhesives, etc.)

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.