SBIR Phase II: Electrochemical Synthesis of Propylene Oxide Under Reductive Conditions

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）二期项目旨在开发一种廉价（一步）、环保、选择性的丙烯和其他烯烃环氧化工艺。对该工艺的兴趣源于环氧丙烷的高生产成本。第二阶段计划将解决选择性和高速率丙烯环氧化，使用电化学生成的过氧化氢在选择性环氧化催化剂上直接与丙烯反应，该催化剂将放置在非常靠近的空间区域，但与阴极的过氧化氢生成区域分开。第二阶段的研究工作将包括分别优化阴极电催化剂组成、阴极配置和工艺操作条件。在这个项目中，将设计、制造和运行一个按比例放大的电化学电池原型。该计划的完成将导致一个优化的过程，有选择地和廉价地将丙烯转化为环氧丙烷的高速率。目标选择性为90-100%，预计产品电解质的高效分离将成为可能。此外，当在燃料模式下运行时，该过程还将能够共同产生有价值的副产品和电力。建议圆满完成。该项目将使用原位电化学生成的过氧化氢，实现低成本、选择性和高速率的一步合成环氧烯烃。该工艺可能适用于其他氧化系统。

9801001 White This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is directed at development of an inexpensive (one step), environmentally benign, selective process for epoxidizing propylene and other olefins. Interest in this process stems from the high production cost of propylene oxide. The Phase II program will address selective and high rate propylene epoxidation using a process where electrochemically generated hydrogen peroxide is directly reacted with propylene over a selective epoxidation catalyst which will be placed in a spatial region very near, but separate from the hydrogen peroxide-generating region of the cathode. The Phase II research effort will consist of optimizing respectively cathode electrocatalyst composition, cathode configuration, and process operating conditions. A scaled up prototype electrochemical cell will be designed, fabricated and operating during this program. Completion of the program will result in an optimized process for selectively and inexpensively converting propylene to propylene oxide at high rates. With a targeted selectivity of the order of 90-100%, it is anticipated that very efficient separation of product electrolyte will be possible. In addition the process will also be capable of cogenerating valuable by products and electricity when operated in the fuel mode. Successful completion of the proposed. program will result in a one-step process for the low cost, selective, and high rate synthesis of olefin epoxides using in situ electrochemically generated hydrogen peroxide. The process is potentially applicable to other oxygenation systems.