Development of a chromium oxide loaded mesoporous silica as an efficient catalyst for carbon dioxide-free production of ethylene oxide

Abstract

Ethylene oxide (EO) is a significant raw material used in many commodities for consumers, particularly ethoxylates, polymers, and certain other glycol derivatives. We synthesized a catalyst by incorporation of chromium oxide into a mesoporous silica material (Cr/MSM) via the hydrothermal method, an effective catalyst for partial ethylene oxidation for producing carbon dioxide (CO₂) free EO. Subsequently, XRD, BET, XPS, and TEM were used to analyse the structural characteristics of the Cr/MSM catalyst. The catalytic performance of the synthesized catalyst was assessed in the liquid-phase epoxidation (LPE) of ethylene, utilizing peracetic acid (PAA) as an oxidant. This approach not only circumvented the generation of CO₂ but also mitigated the risk of metal leaching. Confirmation of the successful production of EO was achieved through GC chromatography, where the presence of a peak with a retention time (RT) of 8.91 minutes served as conclusive evidence. We systematically explored a range of reaction parameters, including temperature, catalyst concentration, the molar ratio of ethylene to PAA, and solvent effect. This comprehensive investigation aimed to fine-tune the reaction conditions, ultimately improving ethylene conversion and enhancing the selectivity of the catalyst for EO production. This approach can effectively resolve the issues of greenhouse gas emissions and metal leaching that had been associated with previously reported catalysts.