(473a) Process Intensification Strategies in Chemical Synthesis: From Batch to Continuous Operation

As the world’s population rises and new economies emerge, society requires novel solutions to meet its most basic needs, including energy, water, housing, food, health, and transportation. However, limited natural resources entail their efficient use while simultaneously enhancing the quality of life of current and future generations. In this respect, process intensification is becoming an immensely important tool to achieve overall sustainability of the chemical process and for the reduction of energy footprint through controlled plant size. Energy efficiency can be achieved through fundamental understanding of process thermodynamics, kinetics, and optimization of reactor designs. Further, the benefits of continuous processing for process intensification cannot be over-emphasized.

This talk will focus on two separate examples of energy efficiency through continuous processing of epoxy resins for adhesives and dimensionally confined nanomaterials for optoelectronics. Specifically I will discuss development of a tubular microreactor system for cost effective processing of hazardous divinyl benzene dioxide resins and Indium phosphide based dimensionally confined nanomaterials for electronic displays. Influence of processing conditions on product properties and conversion efficiency will also be presented.