4-Fluoroethylene Carbonate Production via Bubble Size Regulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing 4-fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) face challenges such as high reactivity leading to local explosions, lengthy reaction times, excessive use of costly fluoro-organics, and complex purification processes that result in low yield and impurity issues, making it difficult to achieve the required purity and safety standards for lithium ion secondary batteries.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a direct reaction between ethylene carbonate (EC) and a F2/N2 mixture gas, where the reaction is stabilized by regulating bubble sizes using a gas bubble regulating column, eliminating the need for solvents and simplifying the purification process to vacuum distillation, thereby enhancing conversion efficiency and selectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If EC directly reacts with F2 gas, then reaction efficiency is improved, but local explosions occur causing EC deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces F2/N2 mixture gas as an intermediary form instead of pure F2 gas. The N2 acts as a diluent that mediates the reaction between EC and F2, reducing the reactivity and preventing local explosions while still allowing the fluorination reaction to proceed efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the concentration parameter of F2 gas from 100% (pure F2) to a diluted state (F2/N2 mixture). This parameter change reduces the harmful reactivity of F2 while maintaining its ability to fluorinate EC, thus resolving the contradiction between reaction efficiency and safety.
2Reliability
If F2/N2 mixture gas is used to stabilize reaction, then safety is improved, but reaction time becomes lengthy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the F2 concentration in the F2/N2 mixture gas and other reaction parameters (temperature, pressure, flow rate) to achieve the best balance between reaction stability and reaction speed. By carefully controlling these parameters, the patent maintains safety while significantly reducing reaction time compared to conventional methods.
3Manufacturing precision
If complicated purification processes are used, then purity is improved, but yield decreases due to multiple handling steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the need for complicated purification processes by using F2/N2 mixture gas as the reaction medium. The reaction produces minimal byproducts that are easily separated, eliminating the need for multiple extraction, drying, filtration, and crystallization steps required in conventional methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The F2/N2 mixture gas serves as a benign intermediary that facilitates the reaction without requiring complex purification. The N2 diluent ensures clean reaction conditions and the gaseous nature of the reagent system allows for simple product isolation through evaporation and filtration, maintaining both purity and yield.
4Manufacturing precision
If costly fluoro-organics are used as raw material, then product quality is improved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces costly fluoro-organic raw materials with inexpensive inorganic reagents (F2/N2 mixture gas). Although F2 is highly reactive, its use as a gaseous reagent that can be precisely controlled and partially recycled makes the process economically viable, eliminating the need for expensive organic fluorinating agents.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the nature of raw materials from organic to inorganic (F2 gas), and optimizes reaction parameters to achieve high conversion efficiency. This parameter change allows the use of cheaper inorganic reagents while maintaining or improving product quality through better reaction control.
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 achieves high yield and purity of FEC with a short reaction time, minimizing the loss of F2 gas and reducing byproducts, allowing for the production of a desirable quality electrolyte suitable for lithium ion secondary batteries.
Implementation Method 1
regulating bubble sizes using a gas bubble regulating column
Implementation Method 2
simplifying the purification process to vacuum distillation
Implementation Method 3
direct reaction between EC and F2/N2 mixture gas to fluorinate EC
Data Source
AI summary
The method of producing 4-fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC), in which ethylene carbonate (EC) reacts with a mixture of fluorine and nitrogen gases, includes feeding a mixture gas of fluorine gas and nitrogen gas into a reactor having ethylene carbonate charged therein, so as to react the ethylene carbonate with the mixture gas of the fluorine gas and the nitrogen gas. The mixture gas fed in the reactor is regulated to have a desired bubble size while passing through a gas bubble regulating column, in which a packing for a packed column is packed. In the method, EC directly reacts with F2/N2 mixture gas to produce FEC, thus a purification process is simple and it is possible to produce FEC at high conversion efficiency and selectivity.