Selective decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in the epoxidation effluent of the HPPO process

This work describes the selective H2O2 decomposition in the exit stream of the epoxidation reactor employed in the Hydrogen Peroxide–Propylene Oxide (HPPO) process. Pd/Al2O3 and Pt/Al2O3 catalysts were tested. The effects of the reaction temperature and the pH of the solution on catalyst performance were investigated. It was found that the Pt catalyst is much more active than its Pd counterpart. An increase in the temperature and the pH of the solution resulted in an increase in the H2O2 decomposition rate; however, a parallel increase of by-products from PO was also observed. Working with a Pt/Al2O3 catalyst under optimized reaction conditions (333 K, pH = 7), hydrogen peroxide can be completely decomposed at reaction times of 120 min with no by-products produced from propylene oxide.

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► The selective decomposition of hydrogen peroxide present in the exit stream of the epoxidation reactor in an HPPO process can be performed with an alumina-supported platinum (or palladium) catalyst without significant formation of by-products derived from propylene oxide.
► It was found than the Pt catalyst is much more active than its Pd counterpart.
► Pt/Al2O3 catalyst at 333 K completely decomposes the hydrogen peroxide present at reaction times no longer than 120 min.