(601b) Sic Supported Vpo Catalyst for the Partial Oxidation of N-Butane to Maleic Anhydride

A novel catalyst formula consisting of vanadium phosphorous oxide (VPO) supported on α-SiC 2μm single crystalline particles was formulated and tested for potential use in the partial oxidation reaction of n-butane to maleic anhydride (MA). MA has found applications in almost every field of industrial chemistry. With almost all the MA in the United States being produced by the partial oxidation of n-butane, improvement of the process is of great economic and environmental interest. Since the reaction is highly exothermic, the need to properly support the catalyst, not only for good dispersion but adequate heat dissipation is of crucial importance. SiC was chosen due to its high heat transfer coefficient, high surface area, resistance to attrition, robustness and possible synergy with the catalyst material itself. A fixed-bed catalytic micro-reactor and in-situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to evaluate the catalytic system and analyze the product effluent stream. The weight percentage loading of α-SiC in the VPO ranged from 6-90wt%. The best loading range of α-SiC in VPO was found to be 10-50wt%. Palladium (Pd) was used as a promoter in the catalyst system. The highest actual yield of MA in this investigation was obtained using a 1.5wt% Pd promoted 10wt% α-SiC size 2μm supported VPO catalyst system which resulted in a 25% actual yield and 202 space time yield. To evaluate catalytic activity, both supported and unsupported VPO catalysts were tested. Butane conversion data, catalyst performance parameters, as well as FTIR spectra at different temperatures will be presented.