Amine Reacted Oxygen-Rich Hydrocarbon Modulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Oxygen-rich hydrocarbons, commonly found in fossil fuels and biomass, exhibit undesirable traits such as high viscosity, low BTU value, and brittleness due to their oxygen content, limiting their utility in chemical and energy production.
Innovation Solution
Reacting oxygen-rich hydrocarbons with amines or amides to modify their solubility, mechanical properties, and functionality, thereby reducing their hydrophilic nature and improving their processability and recyclability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If oxygen-rich hydrocarbons are used directly as feedstocks, then they are readily available and plentiful, but they exhibit undesirable traits such as excessive viscosity, increased boiling point, lower BTU value, and brittleness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the chemical composition of oxygen-rich hydrocarbons through controlled reactions with amines or amides. This transforms the molecular structure to alter physical properties such as viscosity, brittleness, and solubility, while preserving the availability advantage of using oxygen-rich feedstocks like biomass and fossil fuels
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite materials by reacting oxygen-rich hydrocarbons with amines or amides to form new chemical compounds with combined properties. The resulting materials exhibit improved processability and reduced harmful traits while maintaining the beneficial availability and chemical reactivity of the original feedstocks
2Object-affected harmful factors
If oxygen-rich hydrocarbons undergo geological processing to reduce oxygen content, then their value increases (e.g., light sweet oils vs. heavy oils), but the processing time and energy requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing chemical modification of oxygen-rich hydrocarbons through amine or amide reactions under controlled conditions. This accelerates the oxygen content reduction process from millions of years of geological processing to laboratory or industrial timescales, achieving the same value enhancement without the extensive time delay
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the slow mechanical/geological processing system with a controlled chemical reaction system. Instead of relying on natural geological processes over millions of years, the invention uses chemical reactions with amines or amides to rapidly modify hydrocarbon properties and reduce oxygen content in a controlled environment
3Ease of operation
If amines are used to react with oxygen functional groups, then solubility and processability improve, but the device complexity and reaction conditions become more stringent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by systematically varying reaction conditions such as temperature, amine-to-hydrocarbon ratio, and reaction time to optimize solubility and processability improvements. This controlled approach manages the complexity by establishing clear parameter ranges and relationships
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The reaction with amines or amides significantly increases the solubility and reduces the brittleness of oxygen-rich hydrocarbons, enhancing their chemical and material properties, making them more suitable for various applications, including asphalt rejuvenation and recycling.
Implementation Method 1
The most pervasive reaction with amines is attack of oxygen functional groups—usually in the form of ketones or carboxylic acids—to undergo condensation reactions which liberate water. This reaction forms new covalent bonds between the nitrogen of the amine and to a carbon atom connected to an oxygen atom of hydrocarbon molecules.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods for of processing an oxygen containing feedstock to an amine reacted liquid or solid phase with a different solubility, polarity and/or functionality may, in various embodiments, comprise steps of contacting the amine with an oxygen containing hydrocarbon with temperature to facilitate reactions to reduce the oxygen content and modulate the solubility, polarity and/or functionality of the products.