Manufacture of Acrylic Acid from Biomass Derived Intermediates

Statement of Problem Acrylic acid is a global commodity chemical used in acrylic paints, coatings, adhesives, detergents, and hygienic products. The current method to manufacture acrylic acid is a complex, energy intensive process, based on hydrocarbon feedstocks. This proposal will provide a novel selective catalytic reactive distillation technology for the manufacture of acrylic acid from biomass. This proposal will provide technology for producing acrylic acid from crude glycerol, a byproduct of biodiesel manufacture. Crude glycerol is currently in substantial over-supply in the market place, is economically burdensome to biodiesel producers, and is available at extremely low cost. The acrylic acid product of this proposed program is identical to that now derived from petroleum sources, and is a direct substitute in the market. The Solution The overall goal of this Small Business Innovation Research project is to commercialize an innovative, integrated catalytic reactive distillation/oxidation technology to convert crude glycerol into acrylic acid, for use in paints, coatings and adhesives. The Phase I project will establish the technical and economic feasibility of the innovative technology, based on novel catalyst compositions, to manufacture acrylic acid from the crude glycerol byproduct resulting from biodiesel manufacture. Application of the proposed technology will achieve a biobased route to acrylic acid manufacture, while offsetting biodiesel production costs by increasing the value of the crude glycerol byproduct credits, by (1) the use of process intensification techniques, specifically catalytic reactive distillation, to remove acrolein as it is generated by the reaction, thereby suppressing degradation reactions; (2) the development of novel catalysts, specifically designed for use in a catalytic reactive distillation environment, for the dehydration of glycerol with very high selectivity; and (3) the demonstration of the catalytic oxidation of the acrolein to acrylic acid at exceptionally high yield. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: The use of the integrated catalytic reactive distillation/oxidation technology should find immediate application for the production of acrylic acid from inexpensive crude glycerol byproduct of biodiesel production, thereby supporting the growth of biorefineries, and improving long term U.S. employment and competitiveness in global markets. The novel technology is potentially applicable to production of other products from renewable biomass based resources. Keywords: Acrylic acid, crude glycerol, biodiesel, hydrocarbon feedstocks, selectivity, reactive distillation, employment Summary for Members of Congress: Acrylic acid is used in acrylic paints, disposable diapers, detergents, and other products. A novel technology is proposed that produces acrylic acid from waste glycerol byproduct of biodiesel production. The new KSE technology for acrylic acid manufacture from this low cost waste biomass will produce acrylic acid at manufacturing costs well below current costs of manufacture. Successful commercialization of this technology would reduce cost of biodiesel production, enable U.S. producers to become global low-cost leaders in chemical manufacturing, reduce imports and dependencies on crude oil markets, increase U.S. employment, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.