Abstract:
A catalyst for oxidizing ethylene and producing ethylene oxide, said catalyst being prepared by pretreating a porous carrier with a solution containing a lithium compound and a cesium compound, thereafter, impregnating a solution containing a silver compound and a cesium compound in the pretreated porous carrier and then heat-treating the impregnated porous carrier. 
     The use of the catalyst of this invention provides high selectivity in the production of ethylene oxide by the vapor contact oxidation of ethylene.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to an improved catalyst for the production of ethylene oxide which is used to produce ethylene oxide by the vapor contact oxidation of ethylene with molecular oxygen, and to a process for producing the catalyst. 
     Ethylene oxide is suited for the production of nonionic surfactants by being subjected to addition polymerization with active hydrogen compounds, and is also employed as material for polyester- or polyurethane-based high polymers, antifreeze solutions for engines, etc. by being added to water to produce ethylene glycol. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     The catalyst used for producing ethylene oxide on an industrial scale by the vapor contact oxidation of ethylene with molecular oxygen is a silver catalyst. In order to efficiently produce ethylene oxide, there is a strong demand for an improvement in the silver catalyst, i.e., for highly selective and long-life catalysts. While various methods have been proposed in the past to that end, these methods are primarily concerned with a combination of silver as a main active component with alkaline metal, etc. as a reaction accelerator, an optimization of the mixture ratio, and improvements in carriers on which those components are to be deposited. 
     GB 1413251 A, for example, describes that high selectivity is achieved by a catalyst in which potassium, rubidium and/or cesium in a specific amount is deposited along with silver on a porous carrier. U.S. Pat. No. 4,212,772 describes that a catalyst containing silver and sodium, potassium, rubidium or cesium in a specific amount can improve the degree of activity and selectivity. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,168,247 describes the effect obtained by a combination of two or more alkaline metals selected from among sodium, potassium, rubidium and cesium. 
     Further, combined use of cesium and lithium among alkaline metals as reaction accelerators is also known. GB 1601635 A, U.S. Pat. No. 4,916,243, etc., disclose catalysts each of which is impregnated with a cesium component and a lithium component at the same time as silver. In addition, EP 501317 A1 describes that when alkaline metals are to be impregnated in a porous carrier having specific properties, a process of impregnating the alkaline metals at the same time as silver, or a process of impregnating a cesium component, in particular, after deposition of silver on the carrier is preferable as a method for improving the performance of the catalyst. 
     In short, catalysts for the production of ethylene oxide are under situations as follows. While various proposals have been made even for just catalysts wherein alkaline metal is employed as a reaction accelerator, any catalysts cannot be said as reaching a sufficiently satisfactory level. Endeavors to improve the performance of catalysts are being continued increasingly. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of this invention is to provide a catalyst for the production of ethylene oxide which shows higher selectivity and better activity than conventional catalysts, and has long life. 
     As a result of conducting intensive studies with a view to achieve the above object, the inventors have accomplished this invention based on the finding that high selectivity for ethylene oxide can be obtained by using a catalyst wherein silver and cesium are deposited on a porous carrier which has been pretreated by lithium and cesium. 
     Specifically, this invention resides in a catalyst used for oxidizing ethylene and producing ethylene oxide, which is prepared by pretreating a porous carrier with a lithium compound and a cesium compound, thereafter, impregnating a silver compound and a cesium compound in the pretreated porous carrier and then heat-treating the impregnated porous carrier. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The catalyst of this invention will be described hereunder in detail. 
     Porous Carrier 
     The catalyst of this invention is a catalyst in which silver is deposited as a catalyst main component on a porous carrier. The porous carrier is made of a porous refractory such as alumina, silicon carbide, titania, zirconia and magnesia. A carrier containing α-alumina as a primary component is particularly suitable. Further, the porous carrier may also contain a silica component with an upper limit usually set to about 10%. 
     In this invention, physical properties of the porous carrier may greatly affect the catalyst activity. The porous carrier usually has a surface area of 0.1-10 m 2  /g, preferably 0.6-5 m 2  /g, more preferably 0.8-2 m 2  /g. To facilitate the operation of impregnating the catalyst components while maintaining such a surface area, the water absorbance of the carrier is preferably in a range of 20-50 %, more preferably 25-45 %. 
     Catalyst Composition 
     The catalyst of this invention contains silver preferably in an amount of 5-30 % by weight, more preferably 8-20% by weight, based on the total weight of the catalyst. 
     Besides silver, the catalyst of this invention also contains lithium and cesium as essential components. The respective contents of lithium and cesium in the catalyst are preferably in a range of 100-2000 ppm and 250-2000 ppm, more preferably 200-1000 ppm and 300-1600 ppm, based on the total weight of the catalyst. If the contents are outside the respective ranges, it would be difficult to obtain effect as a catalyst sufficiently superior to the conventional silver catalysts. The content ratio (Li/Cs) of lithium to cesium by weight is preferably in a range of 0.05:1-8:1, more preferably 0.1:1-4:1. 
     Further, the catalyst of this invention does not exclude alkaline metal components other than lithium and cesium. So long as the features of the catalyst of this invention are not impaired, the catalyst may contain sodium, potassium, rubidium, etc., as metal atoms usually in a range of about 10-10000 ppm. 
     In addition, so long as the features of the catalyst of this invention are not impaired, the catalyst may further contain other components acting as a promoter usually in a range of about 10-10000 ppm. These components include, for example, alkaline-earth metals such as beryllium, calcium, strontium, barium and magnesium, metals of Group 11 such as copper and gold, metals of Group 12 such as zinc, cadmium and mercury, metals of Group 13 such as boron, gallium, indium and thallium, metals of Group 14 such as germanium, tin and lead, metals of Group 15 such as phosphorus, arsenic, antimony and bismuth, metals of Group 4 such as titanium, zirconium and hafnium, metals of Group 5 such as silicon, vanadium, niobium and tantalum, metals of Group 6 such as chromium, molybdenum and tungsten, metals of Group 7 such as rhenium, and rare earth metals such as scandium, yttrium, samarium, cerium, lanthanum, neodymium, praseodymium and europium. The above optional components may be deposited on the carrier in either the pretreating step and the main treating step for preparation of the catalyst described later, but are preferably impregnated in the carrier at the same time as silver in the main treating step. 
     Preparation of Catalyst, Pretreating Step 
     The catalyst of this invention is prepared by pretreating a porous carrier with a solution containing a lithium compound and a cesium compound, thereafter, impregnating a solution containing a silver compound and a cesium compound in the pretreated porous carrier and then heat-treating the impregnated porous carrier. The subsequent description will be made by defining, as &#34;pretreating step&#34;, the former step of pretreating a porous carrier with a solution containing a lithium compound and a cesium compound, and as &#34;main treating step&#34;, the latter step of impregnating a solution containing a silver compound and a cesium compound in the pretreated porous carrier and then heat-treating the impregnated porous carrier. 
     In the pretreating step of this invention, lithium and cesium are deposited on the porous carrier by impregnating a solution containing a lithium compound and a cesium compound in the porous carrier and then drying the porous carrier by heat treatment. The lithium compound and cesium compound can be impregnated by, for example, a method of immersing the porous carrier in the solution containing the lithium compound and cesium compound, or a method of spraying the solution containing the lithium compound to the porous carrier. The heat treatment can be performed after the impregnation by, for example, separating the porous carrier and a surplus of the solution containing the lithium compound and cesium compound from each other, and then drying the porous carrier under reduced pressure or heating. Alternatively, the treatment with the solution containing the lithium compound and the treatment with the solution containing the cesium compound may be separately carried out. It is desired that the heat treatment be performed by using inert gas such as air and nitrogen or superheated steam preferably in a temperature range of 100-300 τ, more preferably 130-200 τ. Particularly desirable is a method using superheated steam. 
     The lithium compound used in the pretreating step of this invention is not subject to any special limitations. However, as the lithium component once deposited on the carrier should be less likely to elute again during the main treating step, it is desirable for the lithium compound to have relatively low solubility to water. From this viewpoint, preferable examples of the lithium compound are lithium carbonate, lithium bicarbonate, and carboxylates of lithium such as lithium oxalate and lithium acetate. Of these examples, lithium carbonate and lithium bicarbonate are particularly preferable. Further, a solvent can be employed without any special limitations so long as it is inactive against and has high solubility to the lithium compound used. Examples of the solvent include organic solvents having a low boiling point, and water. 
     The cesium compound used is not subject to any special limitations regarding type. For example, nitrates, hydroxides, halides, carbonates, bicarbonates and carboxylates of cesium can be used. From a handling stand point, it is preferable to employ the same anion salt as the lithium compound employed simultaneously. Therefore, carbonates, bicarbonates and carboxylates of cesium are preferable. 
     When employing that process, the cesium compound is impregnated and heat-treated at the same time as the lithium compound in the pretreating step preferably in an amount of 5-95%, more preferably 10-80%, based on the total amount of cesium to be impregnated, so that cesium is deposited along with lithium on the carrier. Accordingly, the content of cesium deposited on the carrier in the pretreating step is preferably in a range of 50-1800 ppm, more preferably 75-1375 ppm. Note that the amount of cesium deposited in the pretreating step should be not too much, because if it is too much, resulting in a lowering of activity and selectivity. 
     A catalyst having higher selectivity can be obtained by only using the main treating step according the present invention in comparison with a process of impregnating the total lithium and cesium is preferable in that the total amount of cesium required to provide the catalyst having comparable selectivity is about 5-50 % less than required by another process of impregnating all of the cesium in the main treating step described later. 
     Preparation of Catalyst, Main Treating Step 
     The main treating step is a step in which a solution containing a silver compound and a cesium compound is impregnated in the porous carrier on which lithium and cesium have been deposited in the above-stated pretreating step, and heat treatment is performed on the impregnated porous carrier. 
     The silver compound advantageously used to deposit silver on the carrier in the main treating step is one which forms a complex soluble in a solvent with an amine compound, for example, and which decomposes at temperatures not higher than 500 τ, preferably not higher than 300 τ, more preferably not higher than 260 τ, and precipitates silver. Examples of the silver compound advantageously used include silver oxide, silver nitrate, silver carbonate, and various silver carboxylates such as silver acetate and silver oxalate. Above all, silver oxalate is particularly preferable. The amine compound as a complex forming agent is selected to make the silver compound in the solvent. Examples of the amine compound are pyridine, acetonitrile, ammonia, and amines having 1-6 carbon atoms. Of these examples, ammonia, pyridine, monoamines such as butyl amine, alkanolamines such as ethanolamine, and polyamines such as ethylenediamine and 1,3-propane diamine are preferable. Above all, the use of ethylenediamine and/or 1,3-propane-diamine, particularly, the combined use of them, is optimum. 
     As a process of impregnating the silver compound, it is most realistic to employ the silver compound in the form of an aqueous solution with the amine compound, but an aqueous solution added with alcohol, etc. may also be used. The silver concentration in an impregnating solution is determined so that silver of 5-30% by weight is finally deposited as a catalyst component. After the impregnation, if necessary, pressure reduction, heating, spraying, etc., can also be performed. Amine is added in an amount required to form a complex with the silver compound (usually two amino groups correspond to one silver atom). In this connection, it is preferable from the reactivity point of view that the amine compound be added 5-30% in excess of the above required amount. 
     The cesium compound used in the main treating step can be the same as described above in connection with the pretreating step. The cesium compound is dissolved in the aqueous solution of the silver compound and deposited on the carrier at the same time as silver. The content of cesium deposited on the carrier in the main treating step is preferably in a range of 200-2000 ppm, more preferably 225-1525 ppm. If the amount of cesium deposited in the main treating step is less than 200 ppm, selectivity would be deteriorated. Conversely, if it is more than 2000 (i.e., the total cesium content is too much), activity and selectivity would both be deteriorated. 
     While impregnating the lithium compound in the pretreating step is one feature of this invention, this feature does not exclude that part of the lithium compound may be impregnated in the main treating step. 
     The heat treatment after the impregnation is carried out while measuring the temperature and time required for silver to precipitate on the carrier. It is most preferable to select the conditions of precipitation so that silver is present in as uniform a distribution as possible on the carrier in the form of fine particles. Generally, as the temperature and time of heat treatment increases, the treatment result becomes less satisfactory because aggregation of the precipitated silver particles is promoted correspondingly. The preferable heat treatment is performed at 130 τ-300 τ for a short time of from 5 minutes to 30 minutes by using heated air (or inert gas such as nitrogen) or superheated steam. Such a heat treatment is also desirable from the viewpoint of cutting down the time required for preparation of the catalyst. Further, the use of superheated steam is particularly desirable in order to make the silver distribution on the carrier more uniform and to improve the performance of the catalyst. 
     Reaction Process 
     The reaction for converting ethylene into ethylene oxide with the catalyst of this invention can be performed in a conventional manner. The reaction pressure is usually in a range of 0.1-3.6 MPa (0-35 kg/cm 2  G) and the reaction temperature is usually in a range of 180-350 τ, preferably 200-300 τ. Generally used as the reaction material gas is a gas mixture consisting 1-40 % by volume ethylene and 1-20% by volume molecular oxygen. Also, a diluent, e.g., an inert gas such as methane and nitrogen, can be generally mixed at a certain proportion, e.g., in a range of 1-70% by volume. As the gas containing molecular oxygen, air or oxygen for industrial purposes is usually employed. Further, a reaction modifier, e.g., hydrocarbon halide, in an amount of about 0.1-50 ppm can be added to the reaction material gas. The addition of a reaction modifier is effective to prevent hot spots from being formed in the catalyst and to greatly improve the performance of the catalyst, especially selectivity of the catalyst. 
     EXAMPLES 
     This invention will hereinafter be described in more detail with reference to embodiments, but this invention is not limited to these embodiments. The physical properties of carriers used in the following Examples and Comparative Examples are listed in Table 1 below. 
     
                       TABLE 1______________________________________                                  Silica Surface area           Water absorbance                       Average porous size                                  contentCarrier (m.sup.2 /g)           (%)         (μm)    (%)______________________________________A     1.04      32.3        1.4        3.0B     1.05      36.3        1.5        0.07C     1.11      40.6        1.2        0.42D     0.93      28.0        1.2        1.3E     1.09      42.8        1.2        5.9F     1.20      35.9        1.5        6.0G     1.55      34.1        1.1        2.6H     1.55      33.8        1.1        6.0I     1.49      34.8        1.2        2.6______________________________________ 
    
     Example 1 
     (1) Pretreatment of Carrier 
     50 g of an α-alumina carrier A (surface area 1.04 m 2  /g; water absorbance 32.3%; average diameter of pores 1.4 μm; silica content 3%; ring-like shape with a size of 8φ×3φ×8 mm) was immersed in 100 ml of aqueous solution in which 0.94 g of lithium carbonate (Li 2  CO 3 ) and 0.087 g of cesium carbonate (Cs 2  CO 3 ) were dissolved. After removing surplus the solution, the carrier was heated with superheated steam of 150 τ for 15 minutes at a flow speed of 2 m/sec. A carrier impregnated with lithium and cesium components was thereby prepared. 
     (2) Preparation of Silver Oxalate 
     228 g of silver nitrate (AgNO 3 ) and 135 g of potassium oxalate (K 2  C 2  O 4  •H 2  O) were each dissolved in 1 liter of water separately. The solutions were gradually mixed, while being heated at 60 τ, to obtain a white precipitate of silver oxalate. After filtration, the precipitate was washed with distilled water. 
     (3) Preparation of Silver-Amine Complex Solution 
     A part (12.3 g) of the silver oxalate (AgC 2  O 4 , water content of 19.47%) obtained in (2) was dissolved little by little in an amine mixed aqueous solution consisting of 3.42 g of ethylenediamine, 0.94 g of propanediamine and 4.54 g of water to prepare a silver-amine complex solution. The silver-amine complex solution was then mixed with 1 ml of aqueous solution containing 1.14% by weight of cesium chloride (CsCl) and 1.98% by weight of cesium nitrate (CsNO 3 ) while the mixture was being agitated. Then, 1 ml of aqueous solution containing 0.66% by weight of barium hydroxide 8 hydrates (Ba(OH) 2  •8H 2  O) was added to the above mixture. 
     (4) Preparation of Silver Catalyst 
     50 g of the α-alumina carrier impregnated with lithium and cesium, prepared in (1), was immersed in the silver-amine complex solution containing cesium and barium, prepared in (3) to perform the impregnation in an evaporator under reduced pressure and heating to 40 τ. The thus- impregnated carrier was heated with superheated steam of 200 τ for 15 minutes at a flow speed of 2 m/sec, thereby preparing a catalyst. The amounts of silver (Ag), cesium (Cs), lithium (Li) and barium (Ba) deposited on the catalyst were 12%, 595 ppm, 500 ppm and 50 ppm, respectively. 
     (5) Oxidizing Reaction of Ethylene 
     The catalyst prepared by the above process was crushed to a size of 6-10 mesh, and 3 ml of it was filled in a SUS-made reaction tube having an inside diameter of 7.5 mm. A reaction gas (composed of 30% of ethylene, 8.5% of oxygen, 1.5 ppm vinyl chloride, 6.0% of carbon dioxide and the remainder being nitrogen gas) was passed through the reaction tube under a pressure of 0.8 MPa (7 kg/cm 2  G) at a GHSV of 4300 hr -1 . The reaction temperature T 40  at the time when the conversion of oxygen was 40% after one week from start of the reaction and the selectivity S 40  (%) of ethylene oxide based on ethylene at the time when the conversion of oxygen was 40 % are shown in Table 2. 
     Example 2 
     A catalyst was prepared and subjected to the reaction by the same process as in Example 1 except that the amount of lithium carbonate impregnated in the pretreating step was changed so that the amount of lithium deposited was 300 ppm. The reaction results are shown in Table 2. 
     Example 3 
     A catalyst was prepared and subjected to the reaction by the same process as in Example 1 except that the amount of lithium carbonate impregnated in the pretreating step was changed so that the amount of lithium deposited was 700 ppm. The reaction results are shown in Table 2. 
     Examples 4 and 5 
     Catalysts were prepared and subjected to the reaction by the same process as in Example 1 except that the amounts of cesium deposited respectively in the pretreating step and the main treating step were changed as shown in Table 2. The reaction results are shown in Table 2. 
     Comparative Examples 1 and 2 
     Catalysts were prepared and subjected to the reaction by the same process as in Example 1 except that lithium was not deposited on the carrier, cesium was not deposited in the pretreating step, and the amounts of cesium deposited respectively in the main treating step were changed as shown in Table 2. The reaction results are shown in Table 2. 
     Comparative Example 3 
     A catalyst was prepared and subjected to the reaction by the same process as in Comparative Example 1 except that the amounts of cesium deposited respectively in the pretreating step and the main treating step were changed as shown in Table 2. The reaction results are shown in Table 2. 
     Comparative Example 4 
     A catalyst was prepared and subjected to the reaction by the same process as in Comparative Example 1 except that lithium nitrate was impregnated in the main treating step so that the amount of lithium deposited was 500 ppm. The reaction results are shown in Table 2. Incidentally, it was tried to use lithium carbonate instead of lithium nitrate, but solubility of lithium carbonate into the sliver-amine complex solution was low and lithium could not be deposited in an amount as much as 500 ppm. 
     Comparative Example 5 
     A catalyst was prepared and subjected to the reaction by the same process as in Comparative Example 3 except that lithium nitrate was impregnated in the main treating step so that the amount of lithium atoms deposited was 500 ppm. The reaction results are shown in Table 2. 
     
                       TABLE 2______________________________________Amount of Lithium            Amount of Cesiumdeposited (ppm)  deposited (ppm)pre-        main     pre-    maintreating    treating treating                        treating                               T.sub.40                                    S.sub.40step        step     step    step   (°C.)                                    (%)______________________________________Example1       500     0        200   395    229.3                                      81.62       300     0        200   395    229.1                                      81.53       700     0        200   395    228.1                                      81.64       500     0        100   632    236.1                                      81.65       500     0        300   316    227.0                                      81.7ComparativeExample1        0      0         0    595    235.0                                      80.52        0      0         0    395    224.0                                      78.43        0      0        200   395    240.2                                      81.14        0      500       0    595    247.1                                      80.45        0      500      200   395    244.4                                      78.1______________________________________ 
    
     Examples 6-16 
     Catalysts were prepared and subjected to the reaction by the same process as in Example 1 except that the kind of carrier, the step of impregnating cesium, and the amount of cesium deposited were changed as shown in Table 3. The reaction results are shown in Table 3. 
     
                       TABLE 3______________________________________    Amount    Amount    of Lithium              of Cesium    deposited (ppm)              deposited (ppm)          pre-    main  pre-  main          treating                  treating                        treating                              treating                                    T.sub.40                                         S.sub.40Example  Carrier step    step  step  step  (°C.)                                         (%)______________________________________ 6     B       500     0     100   395   225.9                                         81.3 7     C       500     0     100   395   225.7                                         81.6 8     D       500     0     100   395   231.8                                         81.4 9     E       500     0     200   395   230.4                                         81.510     F       500     0     300   395   227.9                                         81.511     G       500     0     200   552   222.0                                         81.812     G       500     0     200   710   227.2                                         81.913     G       500     0     300   474   223.6                                         81.914     G       500     0     300   631   229.0                                         81.815     H       500     0     200   552   214.8                                         81.416     H       500     0     200   715   229.1                                         81.4______________________________________ 
    
     Example 17 
     A catalyst was prepared and subjected to the reaction by the same process as in Example 1 except that the step of impregnating cesium and the amount of cesium deposited were changed as shown in Table 4, and ammonium perrhenate was further added to the silver-amine complex solution. The amounts of silver (Ag), cesium (Cs), lithium (Li) and rhenium (Re) deposited on the catalyst were 12%, 870 ppm, 500 ppm and 370 ppm, respectively. The reaction results are shown in Table 4. 
     With the catalyst of this Example 18, the reaction temperature T 40  is increased due to addition of the rhenium component, while the selectivity (S 40 ) is remarkably improved. 
     Example 18 
     A catalyst was prepared and subjected to the reaction by the same process as in Example 1 except that a carrier I was used instead of the carrier A and predetermined amounts of cesium nitrate (CsNO 3 ), lithium tungstate (Li 2  WO 4 ) and lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ) were added to the silver-amine complex solution used in the main treating step. The amounts of Ag, Cs, W and Li deposited on the catalyst were 20%, 937 ppm, 468 ppm and 667 ppm, respectively. The reaction results are shown in Table 4. 
     
                       TABLE 4______________________________________    Amount    Amount    of Lithium              of Cesium    deposited (ppm)              deposited (ppm)          pre-    main  pre-  main          treating                  treating                        treating                              treating                                    T.sub.40                                         S.sub.40Example  Carrier step    step  step  step  (°C.)                                         (%)______________________________________17     A       500      0    200   670   256.0                                         87.918     I       455     212    91   846   226.1                                         82.7______________________________________ 
    
     As described above, by employing the catalyst of this invention, ethylene oxide can be produced with higher selectivity and under more moderate conditions than is the case when employing conventional catalysts.