Ethyl Acetate Catalyst Preparation via Controlled Impregnation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing ethyl acetate catalysts using heteropolyacids or their salts supported on carriers face challenges in controlling the uniform distribution of the active ingredient, leading to variations in catalyst performance and selectivity, and are not suitable for industrial production due to the use of harmful solvents and vacuum drying.
Innovation Solution
A method involving impregnating a silica carrier with an aqueous solution of heteropolyacid or its salt at a volume close to 100% of the carrier's water absorption capacity, followed by drying at a controlled rate of 5 to 300 gH2O/kgsupcat·min, ensures a high amount of active ingredient is supported on the carrier surface, enhancing catalyst activity and selectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the amount of impregnation solution is maintained at a low level (10 to 70% by volume of water absorption amount), then the carrier structure is preserved, but it is difficult to control variations in the supported amount of active ingredient between catalyst particles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of impregnation solution volume from the conventional low level (10-70% of water absorption amount) to a high level (80-105% of water absorption amount). This parameter change enables both high uniformity of active ingredient distribution and high amount of active ingredient supported, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and quantity of substance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by using a saturated aqueous solution of heteropolyacid as the impregnation solution before drying. This preliminary saturation ensures that the carrier pores are fully occupied with active ingredient, and when drying occurs, the active ingredient is uniformly distributed on the carrier surface rather than forming aggregates, thus achieving both high uniformity and high quantity.
2Ease of manufacture
If acetic acid is used as solvent to impregnate the carrier, then the active ingredient can be supported on the carrier, but acetic acid is harmful and not suitable for industrial production
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the harmful acetic acid solvent with water, which is safe, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly. Water serves as the impregnation solvent and can be easily removed during drying, leaving no harmful residues. This substitution resolves the contradiction between ease of manufacture and harmful factors by using a benign solvent that is perfectly suitable for industrial production.
3Manufacturing precision
If vacuum drying method is used to dry the impregnated body, then the active ingredient can be supported on the carrier, but the method is complex and not suitable for industrial production
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex vacuum drying step from the conventional process and replaces it with simple air drying at atmospheric pressure. By removing the vacuum system and using ordinary air flow for drying, the process becomes much simpler while still achieving uniform distribution of active ingredient. This resolves the contradiction between manufacturing precision and device complexity by using a straightforward drying method suitable for industrial-scale production.
4Productivity
If the amount of impregnation solution is increased to support large amount of active ingredient, then catalyst activity is improved, but catalyst particles supporting little or no active ingredient may be generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by using a saturated aqueous solution of heteropolyacid as the impregnation solution before drying. This preliminary saturation ensures that the carrier pores are fully occupied with active ingredient, and when drying occurs, the active ingredient is uniformly distributed on the carrier surface rather than forming aggregates, thus achieving both high uniformity and high quantity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of impregnation solution volume from the conventional low level (10-70% of water absorption amount) to a high level (80-105% of water absorption amount). This parameter change enables both high uniformity of active ingredient distribution and high amount of active ingredient supported, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and quantity of substance.
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
This approach results in an ethyl acetate production catalyst with high productivity and excellent catalytic performance, where the active ingredient is uniformly distributed near the carrier surface, improving space-time yield and reducing by-product selectivity, making it suitable for industrial applications.
Implementation Method 1
impregnating a silica carrier with an aqueous solution of a heteropolyacid or a salt thereof in an amount of 80 to 105% by volume of the saturated water absorption capacity of the carrier
Implementation Method 2
a drying step of drying the impregnated body at a constant drying rate of 5 to 300 gH2O/kgsupcat·min
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a method for producing an ethyl acetate production catalyst that has high producibility and exceptional catalytic performance, the catalyst being such that a heteropolyacid and/or a salt thereof is carried near the surface of a carrier. A method for producing an ethyl acetate production catalyst, the method including, in the stated order: (1) an impregnation step in which a silica carrier is impregnated with an aqueous solution of a heteropolyacid or a salt thereof, constituting 80-105 vol % of the saturation absorption capacity of the carrier, to form an impregnated body; and (2) a drying step in which the impregnated body is dried at a fixed-rate drying speed of 5-300 gH2O/kgsupcat·min.