Performance Study of Catalysts for Dehydrochlorination Reaction of 1,1,2-TCE Using In Situ FTIR-MS

Area of Science:

• Chemical Engineering
• Catalysis Science
• Materials Science

Background:

• Dichloroethylene is crucial for polymers and lithium-ion battery adhesives.
• Current industrial production via saponification is environmentally hazardous.
• Catalytic cracking of 1,1,2-trichloroethane (1,1,2-TCE) offers a greener alternative, but catalyst performance is limited by a lack of mechanistic understanding.

Purpose of the Study:

• To elucidate the intermediate processes in the catalytic cracking of 1,1,2-TCE.
• To evaluate the performance of cesium chloride (Cs) and barium chloride (Ba) supported on activated alumina (Al2O3) catalysts.
• To provide insights for improved catalyst design and process optimization.

Main Methods:

• In situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to monitor intermediate product generation.
• Online mass spectrometry to analyze exhaust gas composition.
• Combined spectroscopic techniques with inert gas bubbling for real-time surface reaction analysis.

Main Results:

• 1,1,2-TCE dehydrochlorination yields chloroacetylene and vinyl chloride.
• 0.6 Cs/Al2O3 catalyst favored chloroacetylene formation (4.62% at 533 K).
• 0.6 Ba/Al2O3 catalyst favored vinyl chloride formation (6.54% at 533 K).
• Initial cracking temperatures were 405 K for Cs/Al2O3 and 450 K for Ba/Al2O3.

Conclusions:

• The study reveals real-time reactant and product dynamics during 1,1,2-TCE catalytic cracking.
• Catalyst choice significantly influences the selectivity towards chloroacetylene or vinyl chloride.
• Understanding these intermediate processes is vital for catalyst screening and reaction mechanism research.