A continuous microwave and ultrasonic reactor setup for the fast production of zeolites, metal organic frameworks (MOF) and pharmaceuticals

这项提议是要求建立一个连续的微波(MW)反应器和一个带有高效超声波探头的流过反应器，以有效地将飞灰转化为沸石，合成金属有机骨架(MOF)纳米颗粒，并控制药物的成核和生长速度。我们已经将煤飞灰转化为沸石，合成了许多工业上重要的金属有机骨架(MOF)，并在实验室规模的间歇反应器(20毫升)中使用MW和UTS能源组合生产了活性药物成分(API)。与常规加热相比，UTS和MW使反应速率提高了几个数量级，同时提高了产品的阳离子交换容量、比表面积和粒度分布等质量。为了将我们的产品系列商业化，应用于废水处理和重金属、ppb范围内的汞和六价铬的吸附；从工业废气和沼气中选择性地吸收二氧化碳(从动物粪便厌氧消化产生的甲烷和二氧化碳的混合物中)；以及控制制药结晶中的多形性，需要设计一种大型连续反应器，具有可控的MW和UTS能源。所需的设备是在仔细考虑现有供应商后选择的，是“实验室规模”连续工艺(400毫升反应器体积)的重要组成部分，可帮助优化中试工厂和工业规模沸石化、MOF和制药制造厂的操作条件。获得本提案中所要求的设备将导致一种有效的制造工艺，将煤飞灰转化为一系列有用的沸石，用于处理市政和工业废水，并合成一系列MOF纳米材料和药物。所要求的设备对于我们产品的商业化是不可或缺的。HQP将接受基础和应用研究方面的培训，并将与我们的工业合作伙伴进行密切互动。

This proposal is to request a continuous microwave (MW) reactor setup and a flow through reactor with a high efficiency ultrasonic probe for the efficient conversion of coal fly ash to zeolites, synthesis of metal organic framework (MOF) nanoparticles and controlled nucleation and growth rates of pharmaceuticals. We have converted coal fly ash to zeolites, synthesized a number of industrially important metal organic frameworks (MOFs), and produced active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in laboratory scale batch reactors (20 mL) using a combination of MW and UTS energy sources. In comparison with the conventional heating, UTS and MW increase the reaction rates by several orders of magnitude while the product quality in terms of cationic exchange capacities, the specific surface area, and particle size distribution are enhanced. The commercialization of our product series with applications in waste water treatment and adsorption of heavy metals, mercury in ppb range and hexavalent chromium; selective CO2 adsorption from industrial flue gas and biogas (from a mixture of methane and CO2 produced by anaerobic digestion of animal waste); as well as control of polymorphism in the pharmaceutical crystallization, requires the design of a large scale continuous reactor with controllable sources of MW and UTS energies. The requested pieces of equipment are chosen after careful consideration of the available suppliers, and are essential components of a 'bench scale' continuous process (400 mL reactor volume) that can help optimize the operating conditions for the design of a pilot-plant and industrial size zeolitization and MOFs and pharmaceuticals manufacturing plants. Access to the requested equipment in this proposal will lead to an efficient manufacturing process for the conversion of coal fly ash to a series of useful zeolites for the treatment of municipal and industrial wastewater streams, and synthesis of a series of MOF nanomaterials and pharmaceuticals. The requested equipment is indispensable for the commercialization of our products. The HQP will be trained in the fundamental and applied research and will have close interaction with our industrial partners.