Industrial Consultancy & Sponsored Research (IC&SR) , IIT Madras
An Improved Process for the Acid-mediated Synthesis of Ordered Mesoporous Aluminosilicates and the Product Thereof
Categories for this Invention
Categories: Chemistry & chemical Analysis
Industry: Chemical manufacturing, Catalyst manufacturing, Adsorbents industry
Applications: Solid Acid Catalysts, Catalyst Support Structures, Selective Adsorption
Market: The global catalyst market was valued at $36 Bn in 2020, it is projected to reach $58 Bn by 2030, growing at 4.9% CAGR in 2021-2030.
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Problem Statement
- Conventional methods for synthesizing ordered mesoporous aluminosilicates (OMAS) struggle to stabilize trivalent aluminum in the tetrahedral framework structure at high aluminum content.
- This limitation compromises the effectiveness of OMAS in various industrial applications lacking specific structural and textural properties.
- Existing synthesis approaches often result in OMAS materials with suboptimal catalytic activity in tertiary-butylation of phenol reaction.
- Existing methods lack uniformity and may not reliably yield OMAS materials suitable for specific industrial need, leading to inefficiencies and inconsistencies in material production.
- The presence of aluminum in less desirable coordination states hinders the performance of OMAS as solid acid catalysts, reducing selectivity and efficiency in catalytic reactions.
- Hence, there is a need for a standard synthesis process to produce OMAS consistently with desired properties.
Technology
The instant invention discloses an innovative Method: the “intrinsic hydrolysis method” for synthesizing ordered mesoporous alumino-silicates (OMAS), ensuring trivalent aluminum stability even at high content, without compromising the mesostructure, resulting in OMAS with superior structural and textural properties.
- The disclosed process involves dissolving aluminum nitrate and citric acid, adjusting pH, and adding absolute ethanol to obtain crystalline aluminum citrate. Sequential addition of precursors and hydrothermal treatment yields surfactant-free OMAS samples.
- The synthesized OMAS exhibit medium-to-strong Brønsted acidity & demonstrate excellent catalytic activity, particularly in the tertiary-butylation of phenol, with high selectivity towards specific products.
- This invention is extensively characterized using various analytical techniques such as XRD, TEM, SEM, MAS-NMR, XRF, and NH3-TPD to ensure quality and performance.
Key Features / Value Proposition
User perspective:-
- Enhanced Performance: OMAS offer superior catalytic activity and selectivity, ensuring efficient chemical processes.
- Tailored Properties: Exclusive trivalent aluminum coordination guarantees consistent material properties for reliable outcomes.
- Ease of Use: Standardized synthesis simplifies manufacturing, providing optimized OMAS without complex adjustments.
Industrial perspective:-
- Cost Efficiency: Improved synthesis reduces production costs, waste, and optimizes raw material utilization.
- Increased Productivity: High-performance OMAS enhances process efficiency, increasing throughput.
- Competitive Advantage: Access to superior OMAS gives manufacturers a competitive edge, enabling enhanced products and services.
Technology perspective:-
- Innovative Synthesis Method: Intrinsic hydrolysis method revolutionizes OMAS synthesis, overcoming previous limitations.
- Versatility: Standardized protocol adapts to diverse compositions, catering to varied industrial requirements.
- Technology scales to industrial levels, facilitating mass production of consistent-quality OMAS.
Questions about this Technology?
Contact For Licensing
sm-marketing@imail.iitm.ac.in
ipoffice2@iitm.ac.in
Research Lab
Prof. Selvam P
NCCR & Department of Chemistry
Intellectual Property
IITM IDF No.: 1404
IP No.: 375449 (Granted)
Technology Readiness Level
TRL- 3
Proof of Concept Stage.