Hydrogen or oxygen electrochemical pumping catalytic membrane reactor and its applications

摘要

The disclosed subject matter includes a new type of chemical reactor, described as hydrogen or oxygen electrochemical pumping catalytic membrane reactor. This new type of reactor is suitable for increasing the selectivity and the conversion rate of dehydrogenation, hydrogenation, deoxidation and oxidation reactions and namely in the direct amination reaction of hydrocarbons. This reactor can be used for the production of several chemical compounds, such as the direct amination of hydrocarbons and in particular for the synthesis of aniline from benzene. The disclosed subject matter includes a device and process wherein hydrogen is removed by electrochemical pumping of the hydrogen formed or by oxygen pumping so, as hydrogen is formed, it is oxidized. This new reactor exhibits benzene to aniline conversion higher than 40%.

主权项

1. A catalytic membrane reactor comprising:
(a) an electrically conductive anode comprising a cermet made of an electrically conductive layer of nickel and a proton conductive layer; (b) an electrically conductive cathode; (c) an non-electrically conductive electrolyte located between said anode and said cathode that forms a layer selective to protons; (d) a chemical catalyst located at at least one of (i) an outer surface of said anode and (ii) another surface of the anode which is disposed between said anode and said electrolyte and is disposed opposite to the outer surface, wherein the chemical catalyst is a nickel catalyst consisting of a single metal element which is constituted by nickel, and the nickel catalyst is decorated with nanoparticles of platinum or palladium deposited on a surface of the nickel catalyst; (e) a first electrocatalyst capable of oxidizing hydrogen deposited on at least one of (i) the chemical catalyst, to decorate the chemical catalyst, and (ii) a surface of the anode opposite to the chemical catalyst; and (f) a second electrocatalyst capable of reducing hydrogen located at or near at least one of (i) said cathode and (ii) an interface between said cathode and said electrolyte, wherein said first and second electrocatalyst are the same or a different material, and wherein said reactor has an operating temperature range of between approximately 500° C. and approximately 1000° C.