Chromium-Free Copper Calcium Silicate Hydrogenation Catalyst
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional copper/chromium oxide catalysts pose environmental and health hazards, and alternative catalysts like Raney copper and molded hydrogenation catalysts suffer from activity deterioration, durability issues, and high costs or poor reproducibility.
Innovation Solution
A hydrogenation catalyst composed of copper, calcium silicate, and alkali metal, with specific weight percentages and surface area characteristics, is developed to replace chromium oxide-based catalysts, ensuring high activity, selectivity, and durability while avoiding hazardous materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If copper/chromium oxide catalyst is used for hydrogenation of aromatic nitro compound, then high activity is achieved, but environmental contamination and health hazard occur
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful chromium oxide component is extracted and removed from the catalyst system while retaining the essential copper component. The invention uses copper combined with calcium silicate and alkali metal to achieve the same catalytic function without the toxic chromium oxide, thereby eliminating environmental contamination and health hazards while maintaining high catalyst activity.
2Productivity
If Raney copper catalyst is used for hydrogenation, then high activity is achieved, but durability is inadequate due to surface oxidation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a composite catalyst system combining copper with calcium silicate and alkali metal. The calcium silicate serves as a stable support structure that prevents surface oxidation of copper, while the alkali metal enhances catalytic activity. This composite structure maintains high activity while significantly improving durability compared to pure Raney copper.
3Reliability
If molded catalyst made of natural clay mineral is used, then excellent strength and durability are achieved, but reproducibility is poor due to variations in composition
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces natural clay minerals with synthetic calcium silicate, allowing precise control over composition parameters. The calcium silicate can be produced with consistent CaO/SiO2 ratios and controlled surface area, eliminating the variability inherent in natural materials. This enables reproducible catalyst manufacturing while maintaining excellent strength and durability properties.
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 catalyst exhibits excellent activity, selectivity, and long catalyst life for hydrogenation reactions, particularly for aromatic nitro compounds, without the hazards associated with chromium oxide, and with improved reproducibility and economic viability.
Implementation Method 1
a hydrogenation catalyst for hydrogenation of an aromatic nitro compound
Implementation Method 2
copper, (2) calcium silicate, and (3) alkali metal wherein the content of the copper is from 20 to 60 wt% based on the entire amount of the hydrogenation catalyst
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
To provide a hydrogenation catalyst which does not contain chromium oxide, unlike conventional copper/chromium oxide catalysts, and therefore does not cause any environmental contamination or health hazard, and which shows an activity, selectivity and durability at equivalent or higher levels to or than those of conventional copper/chromium oxide catalysts. A hydrogenation catalyst which comprises, as the main components, (1) copper and (2) at least one member selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide, calcium oxide and calcium silicate, wherein the content of the copper is from 20 to 60 wt% based on the entire amount of the hydrogenation catalyst, and in the calcium silicate, the molar ratio of calcium oxide (CaO) to silicon oxide (SiO2) is less than 1.