Development of High-efficiency Catalyst Technology for Chloroacetic Acid by Kaili Catalyst New Materials
2025-7-9
Kaili Catalyst New Materials CO., LTD. (hereinafter referred to as "Kaili New Materials") has successfully developed a new generation of chloroacetic acid catalyst with ultra-low precious metal content. The palladium content of this catalyst has been reduced to 0.5%, far lower than the 1% of imported similar catalysts. The comprehensive performance has been further improved, which means that China¡äs chloroacetic acid producers embrace good news- production costs will be significantly reduced.
As an important organic chemical, chloroacetic acid (i.e. chloroacetic acid) is widely used in fields such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, dyes, daily chemicals, rubber additives, surfactants, chemical reagents, papermaking, petrochemicals, textiles, etc. The industrial production of chloroacetic acid mainly adopts the acetic anhydride chlorination process, which involves chlorination of acetic acid with chlorine gas. The production process inevitably produces a large amount of mother liquor containing dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, acetic acid, and chlorination intermediates, which have similar boiling points and chemical properties. In addition, impurities in chlorinated mother liquor have strong biological toxicity and accumulation, and have the "three causative" effects of carcinogenesis, teratogenicity, and mutagenicity on organisms, causing significant damage to the ecological environment. If these by-products are not utilized, it not only causes resource waste, but also increases production costs and reduces the competitiveness of chloroacetic acid products, leading to a serious dependence on imported high-purity chloroacetic acid products.
To obtain high-purity chloroacetic acid products with a content of over 99.5%, catalysts must be used to selectively dechloride by-products such as dichloroacetic acid in the mother liquor through hydrogenation. However, the key catalytic material used in this production process, palladium carbon catalyst, has long been subject to foreign monopolies and blockades. As the catalyst products in the domestic chloroacetic acid industry are still blank, China relies entirely on imports. Not only is the catalyst price expensive, but the supply cycle is also long. Domestic chloroacetic acid production companies need to pre order and purchase, which seriously affects the healthy development of China¡äs chloroacetic acid industry.
In response to industry pain points, Kaili New Materials has developed a hydrogenation dechlorination process technology and specialized palladium carbon catalyst with independent intellectual property rights, becoming the "savior" of domestic chloroacetic acid producers.
As a leading enterprise in the research and production of precious metal catalysts in China¡äs fine chemical industry, Kaili New Materials has developed various precious metal catalysts and catalytic technologies that have achieved import substitution. In 2009, Kaili New Materials was determined to enter the field of basic chemical engineering and embarked on a path of domestic innovation in the research and development of high-efficiency catalytic hydrogenation selective dechlorination process technology and specialized catalysts for chloroacetic acid.
Without any practical achievements to draw on, Kaili New Materials overcame difficulties such as the development and optimization of chloroacetic acid catalytic hydrogenation process, establishment of catalyst evaluation method, strong corrosiveness of reaction system, and easy deactivation of catalyst. With rich experience in the field of fine chemical engineering, after 7 years of basic research and repeated experiments, Kaili New Materials designed and developed a continuous acetic anhydride catalytic hydrogenation process technology and dedicated catalyst for high-purity chloroacetic acid with independent intellectual property rights, filling the domestic gap.
In 2016, the catalyst was first applied in a domestic chloroacetic acid production company, competing with imported catalysts in a chloroacetic acid plant. It showed high dechlorination selectivity, excellent acid resistance, toxicity resistance, and long-life characteristics in catalytic hydrogenation reactions, achieving efficient and environmentally friendly production of high-purity chloroacetic acid products.
Unlike laboratory research, the operating conditions and reactant components in the industrial production of chloroacetic acid are more complex. In response to this, Kaili New Materials has continuously improved and iterated, with the second-generation chloroacetic acid catalyst successfully developed in 2022.
The second-generation catalyst has achieved the effect of "one stone, three birds" through structural design optimization. Firstly, a special process is used to treat the carrier activated carbon, forming a "directional anchoring" structure with strong effects on precious metal palladium in the deep layer of the carbon skeleton. Precious metal palladium is firmly fixed on the surface of activated carbon, resolving the dissolution and loss of palladium in acidic reaction systems. Secondly, a protein type catalyst is obtained through design and process control. Precious metal palladium is distributed on the inner surface of the catalyst carrier like protein in an egg, which not only ensures that the reactants come into contact with the catalytic components, but also effectively avoids chlorine poisoning of the catalyst during the reaction process, as well as the erosion and loss of palladium on the outer layer of the catalyst by acidic liquid reactants. Thirdly, a new type of chelating palladium precursor with coordination structure has been precisely designed. The nano clusters of palladium have further achieved uniform dispersion of single atoms, thus enhancing the use of the catalytic active component palladium and reducing the palladium content to 0.7% -0.8%. Moreover, it improves the adaptability to complex working conditions.
Nowadays, the third-generation chloroacetic acid catalyst that has been successfully developed has a palladium content of only 0.5%, and the selectivity and mechanical wear strength of chloroacetic acid exceed 99.5% and 97%, respectively. The catalyst has a service life of more than 3 years, with its various performance indicators reaching the international leading level. As of the end of 2024, 19 patents related to chloroacetic acid catalysts, including "Modified Palladium Carbon Catalyst for Chloroacetic Acid Production and Its Preparation Method", have been authorized by Kaili New Materials, including 16 invention patents.
In the process of developing chloroacetic acid catalysts, the company¡äs technical team focused on in-depth research on hydrogenation dechlorination catalytic process technology to establish accurate and scientific evaluation methods and catalytic systems, providing users with a one-stop service of "technology optimization and upgrading + catalyst product sales + waste catalyst recycling and reuse". In the future, the company will help more chloroacetic acid manufacturers upgrade their technology, reduce costs and increase efficiency through continuous technological research and development as well as product iteration.
As an important organic chemical, chloroacetic acid (i.e. chloroacetic acid) is widely used in fields such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, dyes, daily chemicals, rubber additives, surfactants, chemical reagents, papermaking, petrochemicals, textiles, etc. The industrial production of chloroacetic acid mainly adopts the acetic anhydride chlorination process, which involves chlorination of acetic acid with chlorine gas. The production process inevitably produces a large amount of mother liquor containing dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, acetic acid, and chlorination intermediates, which have similar boiling points and chemical properties. In addition, impurities in chlorinated mother liquor have strong biological toxicity and accumulation, and have the "three causative" effects of carcinogenesis, teratogenicity, and mutagenicity on organisms, causing significant damage to the ecological environment. If these by-products are not utilized, it not only causes resource waste, but also increases production costs and reduces the competitiveness of chloroacetic acid products, leading to a serious dependence on imported high-purity chloroacetic acid products.
To obtain high-purity chloroacetic acid products with a content of over 99.5%, catalysts must be used to selectively dechloride by-products such as dichloroacetic acid in the mother liquor through hydrogenation. However, the key catalytic material used in this production process, palladium carbon catalyst, has long been subject to foreign monopolies and blockades. As the catalyst products in the domestic chloroacetic acid industry are still blank, China relies entirely on imports. Not only is the catalyst price expensive, but the supply cycle is also long. Domestic chloroacetic acid production companies need to pre order and purchase, which seriously affects the healthy development of China¡äs chloroacetic acid industry.
In response to industry pain points, Kaili New Materials has developed a hydrogenation dechlorination process technology and specialized palladium carbon catalyst with independent intellectual property rights, becoming the "savior" of domestic chloroacetic acid producers.
As a leading enterprise in the research and production of precious metal catalysts in China¡äs fine chemical industry, Kaili New Materials has developed various precious metal catalysts and catalytic technologies that have achieved import substitution. In 2009, Kaili New Materials was determined to enter the field of basic chemical engineering and embarked on a path of domestic innovation in the research and development of high-efficiency catalytic hydrogenation selective dechlorination process technology and specialized catalysts for chloroacetic acid.
Without any practical achievements to draw on, Kaili New Materials overcame difficulties such as the development and optimization of chloroacetic acid catalytic hydrogenation process, establishment of catalyst evaluation method, strong corrosiveness of reaction system, and easy deactivation of catalyst. With rich experience in the field of fine chemical engineering, after 7 years of basic research and repeated experiments, Kaili New Materials designed and developed a continuous acetic anhydride catalytic hydrogenation process technology and dedicated catalyst for high-purity chloroacetic acid with independent intellectual property rights, filling the domestic gap.
In 2016, the catalyst was first applied in a domestic chloroacetic acid production company, competing with imported catalysts in a chloroacetic acid plant. It showed high dechlorination selectivity, excellent acid resistance, toxicity resistance, and long-life characteristics in catalytic hydrogenation reactions, achieving efficient and environmentally friendly production of high-purity chloroacetic acid products.
Unlike laboratory research, the operating conditions and reactant components in the industrial production of chloroacetic acid are more complex. In response to this, Kaili New Materials has continuously improved and iterated, with the second-generation chloroacetic acid catalyst successfully developed in 2022.
The second-generation catalyst has achieved the effect of "one stone, three birds" through structural design optimization. Firstly, a special process is used to treat the carrier activated carbon, forming a "directional anchoring" structure with strong effects on precious metal palladium in the deep layer of the carbon skeleton. Precious metal palladium is firmly fixed on the surface of activated carbon, resolving the dissolution and loss of palladium in acidic reaction systems. Secondly, a protein type catalyst is obtained through design and process control. Precious metal palladium is distributed on the inner surface of the catalyst carrier like protein in an egg, which not only ensures that the reactants come into contact with the catalytic components, but also effectively avoids chlorine poisoning of the catalyst during the reaction process, as well as the erosion and loss of palladium on the outer layer of the catalyst by acidic liquid reactants. Thirdly, a new type of chelating palladium precursor with coordination structure has been precisely designed. The nano clusters of palladium have further achieved uniform dispersion of single atoms, thus enhancing the use of the catalytic active component palladium and reducing the palladium content to 0.7% -0.8%. Moreover, it improves the adaptability to complex working conditions.
Nowadays, the third-generation chloroacetic acid catalyst that has been successfully developed has a palladium content of only 0.5%, and the selectivity and mechanical wear strength of chloroacetic acid exceed 99.5% and 97%, respectively. The catalyst has a service life of more than 3 years, with its various performance indicators reaching the international leading level. As of the end of 2024, 19 patents related to chloroacetic acid catalysts, including "Modified Palladium Carbon Catalyst for Chloroacetic Acid Production and Its Preparation Method", have been authorized by Kaili New Materials, including 16 invention patents.
In the process of developing chloroacetic acid catalysts, the company¡äs technical team focused on in-depth research on hydrogenation dechlorination catalytic process technology to establish accurate and scientific evaluation methods and catalytic systems, providing users with a one-stop service of "technology optimization and upgrading + catalyst product sales + waste catalyst recycling and reuse". In the future, the company will help more chloroacetic acid manufacturers upgrade their technology, reduce costs and increase efficiency through continuous technological research and development as well as product iteration.