PROCESS FOR PREPARING AND REGENERATING SUPPORTED CATALYSTS AND THEIR USE IN THE PREPARATION OF ETHYLENE OXIDE

摘要

Supported catalysts containing silver and alkali metals, for the preparation of ethylene oxide from ethylene and oxygen in the gas phase, are prepared or regenerated by modifying, respectively, a new or spent supported catalyst which already contains metallic silver and may or may not contain the light alkali metals lithium and/or sodium and, where a spent catalyst is concerned, also contains the heavy alkali metals potassium, rubidium and/or cesium, with a solution containing the heavy alkali metals, the modifier solution used containing (a) a surfactant and/or a reducing agent, in the case of the preparation of a new catalyst or (b) a surfactant, in the case of the regeneration of a spent catalyst.