Sugar Acid Salt Production Using Heterogeneous Hydroxide Oxidation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing calcium, magnesium, and zinc salts of sugar acids are inefficient and specific to biotechnological routes, leading to low purity and concentration, while noble metal catalysts with alkaline pH require complex purification and are limited by sparingly soluble hydroxides.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the oxidation of sugars to sugar acids using a noble metal catalyst and a heterogeneous hydroxide source, such as gold catalyst with magnesium, calcium, or zinc hydroxides, in batch or continuous processes, achieving high concentrations and purity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If biotechnological approaches (enzymatic oxidation or fermentation) are used to produce sugar acid salts, then high purity can be achieved, but the production efficiency is low and the process is complicated by enzyme specificity and fermentation conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces biotechnological systems (enzymes and fermentation processes) with a chemical catalysis system using noble metal catalysts. This substitution eliminates the complexity of enzyme specificity and fermentation condition control while maintaining high purity products and significantly improving production efficiency and scalability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the reaction conditions from biological parameters (enzyme activity, fermentation temperature, pH control) to chemical parameters (catalyst loading, oxygen pressure, reaction temperature). This parameter transformation enables more efficient and scalable production while maintaining product purity through controlled chemical oxidation.
2Productivity
If noble metal catalysts are used to oxidize sugars to sugar acid salts, then production time is reduced and scalability is improved, but product purity is compromised due to contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a heterogeneous hydroxide source as an intermediary that serves dual functions: it provides the alkaline conditions necessary for the oxidation reaction and simultaneously acts as a purification agent. The hydroxide source precipitates metal contaminants and removes byproducts, ensuring high product purity while maintaining fast reaction rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses strong oxidants (oxygen under pressure) in combination with noble metal catalysts to accelerate the oxidation of sugars to sugar acids. This accelerated oxidation, coupled with the heterogeneous hydroxide source, achieves both high productivity and high purity by rapidly converting substrates while minimizing contaminant formation.
3Manufacturing precision
If heterogeneous hydroxide sources are used in the oxidation reaction, then high concentration products can be achieved with reduced purification needs, but the reaction conditions become more complex to control
Solution Approach 1:
The heterogeneous hydroxide source performs self-service by automatically precipitating contaminants and regulating the reaction pH through its own solubility characteristics. This self-regulating behavior simplifies process control despite the apparent complexity, as the hydroxide source inherently maintains optimal reaction conditions and purifies the product simultaneously.
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 enables efficient production of high-purity calcium, magnesium, and zinc salts of sugar acids with flexible concentration control, reducing the need for extensive purification and improving yield.
Implementation Method 1
the oxidation of a sugar to a sugar acid in the presence of a catalyst and a heterogenous hydroxide source
Implementation Method 2
oxidizing a sugar to produce a sugar acid in the presence of a noble metal catalyst, oxygen, and a heterogeneous hydroxide source
Implementation Method 3
A specific alkaline pH in the reaction is maintained during the reaction by the addition of a sodium hydroxide solution
Implementation Method 4
Calcium, magnesium, and zinc hydroxides are only sparingly soluble, with saturated solutions having a concentration of only a small fraction of 1%
Data Source
AI summary
A method has now been found for the preparation of calcium, magnesium, and zinc salts of sugar acids, this being the object of the present invention, which is characterized in that the method may include providing a sugar and oxidizing the sugar to a sugar acid in the presence of a noble metal catalyst, oxygen, and a heterogeneous hydroxide source. Preferably the oxidation is carried out with a gold catalyst, and a heterogeneous source of magnesium, calcium, or zinc hydroxide. The oxidation can be performed in a batch or continuous manner.