The new MMA synthesis process at Da Hua Institute has passed evaluation

Thread Content

New MMA synthesis process developed by Dahuasuo passes appraisal Author/Source: Sinochem News Network Date: 2020-08-03 Clicks: 102 On July 27, the new process for producing methyl methacrylate (MMA) through one-step oxidation and esterification of methacraldehyde using nanogold catalyst was appraised as a scientific and technological achievement by the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation. The evaluation committee believes that this achievement is the first of its kind in China and is generally at an international advanced level; it recommends accelerating the construction of demonstration projects as well as their promotion and application. 　　This new process was developed through collaboration between the research team led by Researcher Huang Jiahui from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao Sanlibenuo New Materials Co., Ltd., and the Department of Chemical Engineering at Tsinghua University. In August 2019, construction of a pilot plant with a capacity of one thousand tons began at the Panjin Industrial Technology Research Institute affiliated with the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics. In July this year, this technology passed the 72-hour full-load continuous stable operation test organized by the Petrochemical Federation. The results showed that the conversion rate of methacraldehyde was 93.2%, and the MMA selectivity was 96.9%; all the parameters met the expected targets. 　　MMA is an important chemical raw material, serving as a basic component for materials such as plexiglass, coatings, and lubricant additives. China’s annual demand for MMA is nearly one million tons, while the actual annual production is around 700,000 tons; the shortfall is met through imports, especially for high-end MMA products, which are entirely dependent on imports. At present, the per capita consumption of MMA in China is only about 1/5 of that in Japan and the United States, so there is great demand in the market going forward. 　　A new process for the one-step oxidation-esterification of methacraldehyde to produce MMA features a short process flow, mild reaction conditions, no emission of toxic substances, and high conversion and selectivity. When combined with the processes of ethylene hydroformylation to produce propionaldehyde, and the aldol condensation of propionaldehyde and formaldehyde to produce methacraldehyde, it enables a new three-step process for the synthesis of MMA from ethylene. At the same time, this process opens up new routes for MMA synthesis, which will change the current situation of backward MMA production technology in our country, and it holds great prospects for application.