Silicon carbide-derived carbon nanocomposite as a substitute for mercury in the catalytic hydrochlorination of acetylene

Xingyun Li, Xiulian Pan (), Liang Yu, Pengju Ren, Xing Wu, Litao Sun, Feng Jiao and Xinhe Bao ()
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Xingyun Li: State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457
Xiulian Pan: State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457
Liang Yu: State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457
Pengju Ren: State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457
Xing Wu: SEU-FEI Nano-Pico Center, Key Laboratory of MEMS of Ministry of Education, Southeast University
Litao Sun: SEU-FEI Nano-Pico Center, Key Laboratory of MEMS of Ministry of Education, Southeast University
Feng Jiao: State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457
Xinhe Bao: State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457

Nature Communications, 2014, vol. 5, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Acetylene hydrochlorination is an important coal-based technology for the industrial production of vinyl chloride, however it is plagued by the toxicity of the mercury chloride catalyst. Therefore extensive efforts have been made to explore alternative catalysts with various metals. Here we report that a nanocomposite of nitrogen-doped carbon derived from silicon carbide activates acetylene directly for hydrochlorination in the absence of additional metal species. The catalyst delivers stable performance during a 150 hour test with acetylene conversion reaching 80% and vinyl chloride selectivity over 98% at 200 °C. Experimental studies and theoretical simulations reveal that the carbon atoms bonded with pyrrolic nitrogen atoms are the active sites. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates that such a nanocomposite is a potential substitute for mercury while further work is still necessary to bring this to the industrial stage. Furthermore, the finding also provides guidance for design of carbon-based catalysts for activation of other alkynes.

Date: 2014
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4688

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