Chemical Catalysts

• Cracking Catalysts and De-Sulfurization Catalysts
• Styrene Monomer Catalysts
• Chemical Catalysts
• Polymerization Catalysts

Thanks to their special properties, Rare Earths are used in numerous catalytic reactions from the cracking of oil to gasoline, the refinement of long-chained hydrocarbons to high-end monomers such as Styrene, to the 'highly" selective polymerization of monomers such as Butadiene.

• Cracking Catalysts and De-Sulfurization Catalysts

Lanthanum Rich Rare Earth Salts (Nitrate or Chloride Based) have traditionally been used to stabilize "Y" Zeolites used for the catalytic cracking (eg, Fluid Cracking Catalysts or FCC Catalysts) of crude oils to gasoline.

These catalysts are known as "REY" Catalysts due to their relatively "high" Rare Earth
Loadings(1-5 % by weight). Rare Earth doping also increases the activity of these Zeolites with the consequence of higher gasoline yields.

However, "REY" catalysts are also less selective in the yield of "higher" octane hydrocarbons resulting in "lower" octane gasoline - so there's a "trade-off" between gasoline yield and selectivity.

REY catalysts have found expanded application as a consequence of therefineries use of Residual or "Heavy" Crude oils which contain "high" levels of Nickel, Vanadium and Sulfur which attack zeolites and reduce their activity. Rare Earths are more resistant to these catalytic "poisons".

Sulfur emissions coming from the regeneration of FCC Catalysts is a growing problem at the refinery level globally. Cerium has also been found to be an effective "trap" or "passivator" for Sulfur coming crude oils. "De-Sulfurization" catalysts containing Cerium in a Spinel crystalline structure with Alumina, Silica, and or Magnesia (eg, clay bearing minerals) are employed to "scavenge" sulfur from crude oils. These catalysts can then transfer sulfur as safely through the Claus Catalyst unit which is used to generate elemental Sulfur as a solide.

• Styrene Monomer Catalysts

Cerium (as Cerium Carbonate) has traditionally been used in Styrene Monomer Catalyst recipes as a catalyst promoter, reacting with Steam (used as a raw material in the feedstock with Ethyl Benzene) to "de-coke" the catalytic surface and maintain "high" levels of activity.

Modern Styrene Monomer Catalyst producers are increasing the levels of Cerium
in recipes to make "higher" activity and "higher" yield catalysts as well as using Cerium to displace more toxic components such as Chromium.

• Chemical Catalysts

The Petrochemical Industry is searching for more efficient and environmentally friendly processes for making monomers and complex hydrocarbons for downstream use as feedstocks for making polymers.

Much emphasis has been placed recently on reducing the number of catalytic process steps required to make these hydrocarbons as well as using less expensive starting feedstocks such as alkanes vs. alkenes.

Oxidation, dehydrogenation and hydrogenation catalysts can be improved with the addition of Rare Earths.

Rhodia Electronics & Catalysis produces these products and can tailor their performance based on the required chemical and physical characteristics and maintaining this performance over a broad temperature range in many different atmospheric environments.

• Polymerization Catalysts

Organometallic compounds based on Rare Earths have been used traditionally in solvent based paint formulations to drying agents (ie, to accelerate the drying of paints).

Modern plastics and Synthetic Rubber manufacturers are discovering new uses of these compounds to improve the polymerization process and the selectivity of polymers. Rare Earth (particularly Neodymium and Lanthanum) Carboxylate and Organophosphate compounds used in combination with alkylating agents form the backbone of these Solvent based catalysts systems.

• Contacts

If you want to have more information, please contact us:
ec-catalysis@eu.rhodia.com