Electrolysis: processes – compositions used therein – and methods – Electrolytic synthesis – Utilizing ac or specified wave form other than pure dc
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-06
2001-07-31
Wong, Edna (Department: 1741)
Electrolysis: processes, compositions used therein, and methods
Electrolytic synthesis
Utilizing ac or specified wave form other than pure dc
C205S334000, C205S413000, C205S464000, C205S637000, C204S242000, C204S230200, C204S230300, C204S265000, C204S274000, C204S278000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06267864
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to catalytic processing and devices for catalytic processing, and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for enhanced catalytic processing using nanomaterial catalyst compositions in an electric field.
2. Relevant Background
Chemical and materials synthesis and transformation is one of the core industries of world economy. Numerous substances are synthesized using processes that require non-ambient temperatures and/or non-ambient pressures that require capital intensive equipment. Methods that can produce useful chemicals and materials at conditions closer to ambient conditions and use simple equipment are economically, ecologically, and environmentally more desirable.
Chemical species such as volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), heavy metals in waste water and bioactive chemicals are pollutants of serious concern. A need exists for processes and devices that can convert these substances into more benign forms such as carbon dioxide and water vapor. Techniques currently in use include incineration, absorption/desorption, chemical wash and photocatalysis. Incineration is a high energy process and often leads to non-benign secondary emissions such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and unburned hydrocarbons. Photocatalysis systems are expensive to install and require high maintenance to avoid degrading efficiencies and treatment reliability. Other techniques lead to secondary wastes and leave the ultimate fate of the pollutants unresolved. A technique is needed that can reliably treat chemical pollutants in a cost effective manner.
Numerous industries use catalytic processing techniques either to produce useful materials and compositions or to reduce waste or pollutants. Examples of such industries include those based on electricity generation, turbines, internal combustion engines, environmental and ecological protection, polymer and plastics manufacturing, petrochemical synthesis, specialty chemicals manufacturing, fuel production, batteries, biomedical devices, and pharmaceutical production. These industries are in continuous need of new catalysts and catalytic processes that can impact the costs and performance of the products generated by these industries.
Currently, processes and methods based on homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis are integral and important to modern industrial, energy, and environmental chemistry. In petroleum and petrochemical industries, catalysis is used in numerous purification, refining, cracking, and/or reaction steps. In the purification of synthetic gaseous and liquid fuels from crude oil, coal, tar sand, and oil shale, catalysis is important. Approximately two thirds of leading the large tonnage chemicals are manufactured with the help of catalysis. Illustrative examples include acetic acid, acetaldehyde, acetone, acryolonitrile, adipic acid, ammonia, aniline, benzene, bisphenol A, butadiene, butanols, butanone, caprolactum, cumene, cyclohexane, cyclohexanone, cyclohexanol, phtalates, dodecylbenzene, ethanol, ethers, ethylbenzene, ethanol, methanol, ethylbenzene, ethylene dichloride, ethylene glycol, ethylene oxide, ethyl chloride, ethyl hexanol, formaldehyde, hydrogen, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxylamine, isoprene, isopropanol, maleic anhydride, methyl amines, methyl chloride, methylene chloride, nitric acid, perchloroethylene, phenol, phthalic anhydride, propylene glycol, propylene oxide, styrene, sulfur, sulfuric acid, acids, alkalis, terephthalic acid, toluene, vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride, and xylenes.
Further, most of the production of organic intermediates used to make plastics, elastomers, fibers, pharmaceuticals, dyes, pesticides, resins, and pigments involve catalytic process steps. Food, drinks, clothing, metals, and materials manufacturing often utilizes catalysts. Removal of atmospheric pollutants from automobile exhausts and industrial waste gases requires catalytic converters. Liquid wastes and stream also are routinely treated with catalysts. These applications need techniques, methods, and devices that can help research, identify, develop, optimize, improve, and practice superior performing catalysts of existing formulations, of evolved formulations, and of novel formulations.
Many new products are impractical to produce due to high manufacturing costs and/or low manufacturing yields of the materials that enable the production of such products. These limitations curtail the wide application of new materials. Novel catalysts can enable the production of products that are currently too expensive to manufacture or impossible to produce for wide ranges of applications that were, until now, cost prohibitive. A need exists for techniques to develop such novel catalysts.
The above and other limitations are solved by a chemical transformation device and method for processing chemical compositions that provides efficient, robust operation yet is implemented with a simplicity of design that enables low cost implementation in a wide variety of applications. These and other limitations are also solved by a method for making a chemical transformation device using cost efficient processes and techniques.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect, the invention includes a method of chemically transforming a substance through the simultaneous use of a catalyst and electrical current. This method comprises selecting an active material which interacts with an applied electromagnetic field to produce a current. A high surface area (preferably greater than 1 square centimeter per gram, more preferably 100 square centimeter per gram, and most preferably 1 square meter per gram) form of the active material is prepared. The active material is formed into a single layer or multilayered structure that is preferably porous. The stream containing substance that needs to be transformed is exposed to the active material structure while charge flow is induced by the applied electromagnetic field. Where appropriate, the product stream is collected after such exposure.
In a related aspect, the invention comprises a method of manufacturing a device comprising an active material preferably with high band gap (preferably greater than 0.5 eV, more preferably 1.5 eV, most preferably 2.5 eV). The active material is preferably provided a high surface area form such as a nanostructured material or a nanocomposite or a high internal porosity material. A porous structure comprising at least one layer, such as a thin film layer, of the active material and electrodes positioned on the at least one layer to enable an electromagnetic field to be applied across the at least one layer. It is preferred that the resistance of the device between the electrodes be between 0.001 milliohm to 100 megaohm per unit ampere of current flowing through the device, more preferably between 0.01 milliohm to 10 megaohm per unit ampere of current flowing through the device, and most preferably 1 milliohm to 1 megaohm per unit ampere of current flowing through the device.
In case the current flow measure is not known or difficult to measure, it is preferred that the corresponding power consumption levels for the device be used to practice this invention. To illustrate, in case of electromagnetic field is externally applied, then it is preferred that the power consumption due to device operation be between 0.001 milliwatt to 100 megawatt. While miniature, thin film, and micromachined devices may utilize power less than these and applications may use power higher than these levels, and such applications are herewith included in the scope of this invention, in all cases, design and/or operation that leads to lower power requirement is favored to minimize the operating costs by the device. Higher resistances may be used when the chemical transformation step so requires. In case, alternating current is used, the overall impedance of the device must be kept low to reduce energy consumption and operating costs. Once again, the yield, the selectivity, the operating costs and the capital costs of the device must
Meramadi Bijan K.
Yadav Tapesh K.
Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.
Nanomaterials Research Corporation
Wong Edna
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