182
4.3.3 Acrylic Acid Production: Recent Trend vs. Conventional Production
Conventionally acrylic acid is produced using propylene. However, several other
bio-based acrylic acid production is underway especially for polyacrylic acid polymer production for disposable diaper application. Arkema has developed two-step
process for acrylic acid production from glycerin which is the by-product of biodiesel manufacturing process. The first step is acrolein production, followed by
acrolein oxidation to acrylic acid [136]. Though glycerin-based acrylic acid production is ready for commercial production by Arkema, cost competitiveness with conventional propylene-based acrylic acid process is holding back for commercialization.
OPXBio, Cargill, Novozymes, and BASF are developing 3-hydroxypropionic acid
(3-HP)-based process for acrylic acid production. Requisite R&D activities have
been completed and it is now ready for commercial production. In similar line,
Myriant has developed lactic acid-based acrylic acid production process in collaboration with an academic institute such as MIT and Pennsylvania State University
(especially for catalyst development for dehydration of lactic acid to acrylic acid at
80% conversion and 90% selectivity) [137]. Various routes for acrylic acid production are given in Fig. 14.
However, bio-based acrylic acid production is facing serious challenges in terms
of cost competitiveness due to the advent of shale gas resource which makes propane as low cost and abundant material, and consequently energy companies are
putting several on-purpose propane dehydrogenation plants for low-cost propylene
and related chemical production at lower price. Also, on-purpose production of propylene based on methanol has increased significantly.
The prices of acrylic acid highly depends on the cost of propylene. With the
continuous increase in the capacity of propylene production, some countries take
advantage of being low-cost manufacturer of acrylic acid. For example, China is
2012
Acrylate Esters
Glacial Acrylic Acid
-
500.0
1,000.0
1,500.0
2,000.0
2,500.0
3,000.0
3,500.0
4,000.0
4,500.0
5,000.0
Others
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Fig. 13 Growth projection of acrylic acids, acrylates, and others [135]
C. Samanta and R. K. Das
4.3.3 Acrylic Acid Production: Recent Trend vs. Conventional Production
Conventionally acrylic acid is produced using propylene. However, several other
bio-based acrylic acid production is underway especially for polyacrylic acid polymer production for disposable diaper application. Arkema has developed two-step
process for acrylic acid production from glycerin which is the by-product of biodiesel manufacturing process. The first step is acrolein production, followed by
acrolein oxidation to acrylic acid [136]. Though glycerin-based acrylic acid production is ready for commercial production by Arkema, cost competitiveness with conventional propylene-based acrylic acid process is holding back for commercialization.
OPXBio, Cargill, Novozymes, and BASF are developing 3-hydroxypropionic acid
(3-HP)-based process for acrylic acid production. Requisite R&D activities have
been completed and it is now ready for commercial production. In similar line,
Myriant has developed lactic acid-based acrylic acid production process in collaboration with an academic institute such as MIT and Pennsylvania State University
(especially for catalyst development for dehydration of lactic acid to acrylic acid at
80% conversion and 90% selectivity) [137]. Various routes for acrylic acid production are given in Fig. 14.
However, bio-based acrylic acid production is facing serious challenges in terms
of cost competitiveness due to the advent of shale gas resource which makes propane as low cost and abundant material, and consequently energy companies are
putting several on-purpose propane dehydrogenation plants for low-cost propylene
and related chemical production at lower price. Also, on-purpose production of propylene based on methanol has increased significantly.
The prices of acrylic acid highly depends on the cost of propylene. With the
continuous increase in the capacity of propylene production, some countries take
advantage of being low-cost manufacturer of acrylic acid. For example, China is
2012
Acrylate Esters
Glacial Acrylic Acid
-
500.0
1,000.0
1,500.0
2,000.0
2,500.0
3,000.0
3,500.0
4,000.0
4,500.0
5,000.0
Others
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Fig. 13 Growth projection of acrylic acids, acrylates, and others [135]
C. Samanta and R. K. Das