353
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
K. K. Pant et al. (eds.), Catalysis for Clean Energy and Environmental
Sustainability, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65021-6_10
Shifting Trend of Rational Design
Heuristics for Methanol-to-Olefins (MTO)
Catalysts
Manjesh Kumar
Abstract Invigorated interest from the refiners to simultaneously develop the
downstream operations for chemicals along with fuel has catapulted the researchers
to investigate new and cheaper feedstocks. Olefins act as primary precursors to multifarious commercial products meeting the demand of modern lifestyle such as
polymers, fine chemicals, adhesives, additives, etc. The emergence of shale gas production and new sources of C1 species (syngas) from biomass, coal, and coal bed
methane have pushed the need for deriving value-added products commensurate
with the upfront demand of petrochemical industries. To this end, the development
of methanol-to-hydrocarbon (MTH) gave rise to new chemistry of converting methanol to gasoline-range hydrocarbons, in turn providing pathways for C–C bond formation. With the lapse of time, the process acquired special interest from the
research community owing to the efficient conversion of methanol to lighter olefins
(MTO) such as ethene, propene, and butenes. Currently, advanced studies are aimed
at understanding the reaction mechanism for the first C–C bond formation and propagation thereafter. Major constraints to optimum performance converge to the rational design of the catalyst with enhanced selectivity toward ethene or propene
without compromising the lifetime of the catalyst. Here, we will paint the complex
blueprint of the MTO process because of the multitude of interacting control parameters determining the desired output. Observations further strengthen the need for
symbiotic nature of investigations where the findings must be exchanged continuously among material scientists, simulation experts, and reaction engineers to formulate the holistic picture of the different aspects of the MTO reaction system.
Discussion is focused on MTO but not limited to it.
Keywords MTO process · MTH process · MTG process · C–C bond formation ·
SAPO · Zeolites
M. Kumar (*)
Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Delhi, India
e-mail: manjeshkumar@chemical.iitd.ac.in
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
K. K. Pant et al. (eds.), Catalysis for Clean Energy and Environmental
Sustainability, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65021-6_10
Shifting Trend of Rational Design
Heuristics for Methanol-to-Olefins (MTO)
Catalysts
Manjesh Kumar
Abstract Invigorated interest from the refiners to simultaneously develop the
downstream operations for chemicals along with fuel has catapulted the researchers
to investigate new and cheaper feedstocks. Olefins act as primary precursors to multifarious commercial products meeting the demand of modern lifestyle such as
polymers, fine chemicals, adhesives, additives, etc. The emergence of shale gas production and new sources of C1 species (syngas) from biomass, coal, and coal bed
methane have pushed the need for deriving value-added products commensurate
with the upfront demand of petrochemical industries. To this end, the development
of methanol-to-hydrocarbon (MTH) gave rise to new chemistry of converting methanol to gasoline-range hydrocarbons, in turn providing pathways for C–C bond formation. With the lapse of time, the process acquired special interest from the
research community owing to the efficient conversion of methanol to lighter olefins
(MTO) such as ethene, propene, and butenes. Currently, advanced studies are aimed
at understanding the reaction mechanism for the first C–C bond formation and propagation thereafter. Major constraints to optimum performance converge to the rational design of the catalyst with enhanced selectivity toward ethene or propene
without compromising the lifetime of the catalyst. Here, we will paint the complex
blueprint of the MTO process because of the multitude of interacting control parameters determining the desired output. Observations further strengthen the need for
symbiotic nature of investigations where the findings must be exchanged continuously among material scientists, simulation experts, and reaction engineers to formulate the holistic picture of the different aspects of the MTO reaction system.
Discussion is focused on MTO but not limited to it.
Keywords MTO process · MTH process · MTG process · C–C bond formation ·
SAPO · Zeolites
M. Kumar (*)
Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Delhi, India
e-mail: manjeshkumar@chemical.iitd.ac.in