Selective hydrogenation of cyclopentadiene in mono- and bimetallic catalytic hollow-fiber reactors

The mono- and bimetallic catalytic polymeric hollow-fiber reactors were established with catalytic polymeric cellulose acetate (CA) hollow fibers prepared by supporting the polymer-anchored mono- or bimetallic catalyst in/on the inner wall of the hollow fibers. The selective hydrogenation of cyclopentadiene to cyclopentene was efficiently carried out in the above catalytic polymeric hollow-fiber reactors, especially in the NaBH4 reduced bimetallic PVP-Pd-0.5Co/CA hollow-fiber reactor under mild conditions of 40 degrees C and 0.1 MPa. It was found that there was a remarkable synergic effect of palladium and cobalt reduced by NaBH4 in the bimetallic PVP-Pd-0.5Co/CA hollow-fiber reactor, which results in a 97.5% conversion of cyclopentadiene and a 98.4% selectivity for cyclopentene. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Nano-reactors for controlling the selectivity of the free radical grafting of maleic anhydride onto polypropylene in the melt

This paper reports on a successful application of the concept of nanoreactors to effectively controlling the selectivity of the free radical grafting of maleic anhydride (MAH) onto polypropylene (PP) in the melt, an industrially relevant process. More specifically, a free radical initiator of type ROOR was first confined into (or encapsulated by) the galleries of an organically modified montmorillonite (o-MMT) whose interdistance was 2.4 nm. Primary free radicals (RO center dot) formed inside the o-MMT galleries had to diffuse out before they could react with the PP backbone. The controlled release of the primary free radicals significantly increased the grafting degree of MAH onto PP and greatly reduced the level of the chain scission of the latter. Those results were better understood by electron spin resonance studies on model systems and by Monte Carlo simulations.

Novel and ideal zirconium-based dense membrane reactors for partial oxidation of methane to syngas

A novel and ideal dense catalytic membrane reactor for the reaction of partial oxidation of methane to syngas (POM) was constructed from the stable mixed conducting perovskite material of BaCo0.4Fe0.4Zr0.2O3-delta and the catalyst of LiLaNiO/gamma-Al2O3. The POM reaction was performed successfully. Not only was a short induction period of 2 h obtained, but also a high catalytic performance of 96-98% CH4 conversion, 98-99% CO selectivity and an oxygen permeation flux of 5.4-5.8 ml cm(-2) min(-1) (1.9-2.) mumol m(-2) S-1 Pa-1) at 850 degreesC were achieved. Moreover, the reaction has been steadily carried out for more than 2200 h, and no interaction between the membrane material and the catalyst took place.