Propylene Oxide is a high-demand and versatile chemical intermediate used in the production of many important products, such as polyether polyol (foam), propylene glycol (antifreeze), and glycol ether (paints). Current production processes, including the chlorohydrin and hydrogen peroxide processes, are expensive and require intensive purification methods because of toxic byproducts. An ideal alternative method includes the direct epoxidation of propylene to propylene oxide with a silver catalyst. Past research shows the reaction’s only byproducts are carbon dioxide and water. This method is simpler and potentially cheaper than the current methods; however, it does not give adequate selectivity to propylene oxide to be utilized commercially. This research project objective was to test the influence of different metal promoters, such as W, Mo, and Re, on the industrially relevant Ag/CaCO3/KNO3 catalyst. 0.5% weight loadings were added and tested for their corresponding activity in the reaction of propylene to propylene oxide, quantified by gas chromatography (GC). Results indicate a decrease in selectivity and activity for all added metal promoters compared to the original silver catalyst, with the exception of the Mo/Re promoter, which gave increased selectivity. Moving forward, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) could be utilized to further analyze the effects of this reaction on the surface of the catalyst, especially for the Mo/Re promoter. Insight into the effect of promoters on the silver catalyst in this reaction will increase the knowledge and progress towards the goal of commercializing the direct epoxidation of propylene to propylene oxide.

Economical and environmentally sustainable alternative to propylene oxide production

2019 Spring National Meeting

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