Hydrocarbon Solvent Recycling via Silanol Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The recycling of polymerization solvents is hindered by the presence of silanol compounds, which inhibit polymerization and accumulate during the solvent recovery process, making it difficult to reuse the solvent effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the polymerization of conjugated dienes and aromatic vinyl compounds using an active organometal catalyst, followed by introducing functional groups protected with silyl groups, and then separating and removing silanol compounds from the solvent fraction through liquid-liquid extraction, allowing for the recycling of the solvent.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the recovered solvent is directly recycled for polymerization, then the solvent recycling rate increases, but the silanol compound accumulates and inhibits polymerization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies extraction by dissolving the silanol compound in water to separate it from the hydrocarbon-based solvent. The water is added to the recovered solvent, allowing the silanol compound to transfer to the aqueous phase, which is then removed. This extraction process effectively removes the harmful silanol compound while preserving the recyclable hydrocarbon solvent, enabling continuous solvent recycling without polymerization inhibition.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If the silanol compound concentration increases in the recovered solvent, then more polymerization cycles are possible, but the polymerization reaction is increasingly inhibited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a self-service mechanism where the silanol compound automatically dissolves in the added water and separates from the hydrocarbon solvent through phase separation. This self-cleaning process occurs without additional complex treatment steps, allowing the solvent to be continuously purified and reused. The system maintains low silanol compound concentration automatically through this simple water addition and separation process, enabling sustained polymerization reaction efficiency over multiple cycles.
3Manufacturing precision
If water is added to remove silanol compound, then the solvent purity increases, but the solvent volume increases and requires additional processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses extraction to remove the silanol compound by dissolving it in water, followed by phase separation. The aqueous phase containing the dissolved silanol compound is separated and removed from the hydrocarbon solvent. This process increases solvent purity while minimizing volume increase, as only the necessary amount of water for extraction is added, and the bulk of the water is removed with the aqueous phase during separation.
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 method efficiently removes silanol compounds from the solvent fraction, enabling the recycling of the hydrocarbon-based solvent with reduced construction and operating costs, while ensuring the solvent is free from inhibiting impurities, thus facilitating successful polymerization processes.
Implementation Method 1
At least part of the silanol compound is removed from the low-boiling fraction by liquid-liquid extraction using the low-boiling fraction and an extraction solvent.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing a modified polymer or a hydrogenated product thereof, includes polymerizing a monomer in a polymerization solvent which includes a hydrocarbon-based solvent, using a polymerization initiator to obtain a reaction solution. A functional group is introduced into the modified polymer or the hydrogenated product thereof, using a compound having the functional group protected with a silyl group. The reaction solution is separated into a solvent fraction including the hydrocarbon-based solvent, and a solid fraction including the modified polymer or the hydrogenated product thereof. The solvent fraction separated from the reaction solution is distilled to obtain a low-boiling fraction including the hydrocarbon-based solvent and a silanol compound. At least part of the silanol compound is removed from the low-boiling fraction by liquid-liquid extraction. At least part of a raffinate of the low-boiling fraction is recycled as a polymerization solvent.