Activated Carbon Monolith Catalysts (ACMC)

Applied Catalysts offers several ACMC (Activated Carbon Monolith Catalysts) products for Chemical Process applications.

Activated Carbon Monolith Catalysts (ACMC®) are monolith catalysts in which the active catalytic metals are supported on activated carbon that is built into the walls of the monolith. The low-pressure drop and high surface area of our ACMC® products will boost production throughputs, activity and selectivity levels. The potential elimination of the catalyst separation step and the long-life expectancy of our unique Catalyst will continue to save you in operational expenses year over year.

ACMC® products can be used in process chemistries from pH 1 to pH 10. Commercial chemistries have been run at 50 psi to 750 psi, and 60 C to 220 C with no evidence of attrition or deactivation.

Typical catalytic metals from both Platinum Group (Pd & Pt) and Base (Ni) as well as other non-metals may also be used. The activated carbon in the monoliths in our standard products are wood-based or coconut based and custom ACMCs® can be made with alternative carbons.

Overview of
Activated Carbon Monolith Catalysts

Activated Carbon monolith catalysts can be used for many chemistries. Demonstrations have been made at lab-scale, semi- pilot and in full-scale beds for hydrogenation chemistry of oleochemical derivatives, nitro group, nitrile group, and ketones. Other chemistries demonstrated include dehydrochlorination and carbonylation. Processes using ACMC catalysts show high-productivity, high-selectivity, and long lifetimes.

How Do ACMCs
Help You?

The ACMC structure is designed with activated carbon and a ceramic binding matrix in a configuration that offers exceptional strength, low-pressure drop, and improved mass transfer. This increases the process selectivity and enables less excess hydrogen to be used in continuous processes.
The ACMC supports a variety of precious and base metals depending on the requirement. Custom versions of these monoliths are also available, including other activated carbon types, variable cell densities, cell wall thicknesses, and round or square part shapes.

Problems Solved by ACMC

When applications require low-pressure drop, low attrition, and high selectivity, productivity, and lifetime, using an ACMC catalyst can deliver these features.

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Are You a Catalyst, Service or Systems Provider?

Services

Catalyst Development

Applied Catalysts offers catalyst development services based on heterogeneous catalysts. Combining our testing services with our catalyst development services accelerates project success and maximizes value creation for the customer.

Catalyst Testing

Applied Catalysts offers catalytic process development services, including catalyst screening and process parameter optimization to yield high activity, selectivity and lifetime.

Process Development

Applied Catalysts offers catalytic process development services, including catalyst screening and process parameter optimization to yield high activity, selectivity and lifetime.

Systems Scaleup

Applied Catalysts offers process flowsheets using Chemcad simulation software and systems scale-up by partnering with Engineering Firms and Systems Manufacturers.

Process Catalysts

Chemical Catalysts

In addition to the ACMC monolith based catalysts, Applied Catalysts can provide particulate catalysts to solve the customers catalytic needs. Applied Catalysts will provide Industry Standard catalysts when available from a number of participating Catalyst Vendors in addition to proprietary catalysts manufactured by Applied Catalysts.

Custom Catalysts

With a proven record of Custom Catalyst manufacturing services and a foundation of knowledgeable chemists and researchers, Applied Catalysts’ monolithic catalyst supports even the most challenging design and processing needs from manufacturing to development, ensuring high performance.

Applications Supported

CO2 Capture

Using an activated carbon monolith catalyst for CO2 capture has a number of advantages. First, activated carbon in the monolith can absorb and desorb CO2. Second, activated carbon is a high-capacity support for other base adsorbants, such as alkali or alkaline earth metal carbonates or amine-functionalized polymers.

Chemical Processes

ACMC catalysts can be used for continuous chemical processes, including hydrogenation of organic liquids and gases, reductive alkylation, amination, Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbons, and oxygenates and acids, hydrochlorination, hydrodenitrogenation, and hydrodesulfurization. Our solutions are aimed at supporting activated carbon monoliths used in the chemical process.

Catalyst Processes

Hydrogenation

The hydrogenation process involves the addition of hydrogen to organic substrates. The functional groups being converted in the organic substrates can be olefinic to aliphatic groups, aromatic compounds to aliphatic compounds, nitro groups to amines, nitrile groups to amines, acids to aldehydes, and aldehydes and ketones to alcohols and ethers. Hydrogenation can also be used to remove sulfur, nitrogen, and chlorine content in molecules.

Reductive Alkylation

As a provider of catalytic technology, Applied Catalysts provides metal catalysts used in the reductive alkylation process which involves the addition of alkyl groups to amines, and amines to carbonyl containing compounds.

Oxidation to Chemicals

Activated carbon monolith catalysts can also be used to oxidize organic substrates to other chemicals. There are many oxidation reactions of interest, including transformations of bio-mass to chemicals.

Others

Catalysis forms the backbone of several industrial processes. This is where Applied Catalysts assists as a provider of catalytic technology. Other catalyst processes in industrial processes include producing ammonia and synthesizing drugs for the pharmaceutical industry.

Industries Served

Biorenewables

Applied Catalysts serves bio-renewable industries to develop, scale up and help commercialize bio-based products and processes. ACMC catalytic reactors can be used for bio-mass transformations, everal fine chemical products, including pharmaceuticals.

Specialty Chemicals

Applied Catalysts serves several specialty chemical industries that deal with specialty chemicals, including adhesives and cosmetic additives. The catalytic reactors convert a reactant of a single or more chemical reactions into a product or multiple products.

Fine Chemical Catalysts

Applied Catalysts is well-conversant with the market’s needs and works effortlessly to meet them as a leader in catalytic technology for fine chemical products. These fine chemicals include active pharmaceutical ingredients and biocides.

Oleochemicals

As a catalytic technology leader in oleochemistry serving several oleochemical industries, Applied Catalysts carbon catalysts offer the conversion of unsaturated fatty acids into saturated fatty acids due to their susceptibility to hydrogenation.

Polymers

Applied Catalysts is looking to provide polymer hydrogenation catalysts, systems and services to rubber, elastomer, and other hydrogenated polymers. Applications include tires, synthetic fibers, fiberglass, and silicone heart valves.

Pharmaceuticals

The manufacture of pharmaceuticals often contains one or more catalytic hydrogenation steps. Monolith catalysts convert the functional group of a molecule selectively into a new one to produce the starting material for the next synthetic step. Applied Catalysts can provide ACMC monolith-based catalysts for continuous flow process chemistry, enhancing the sustainability and low cost of manufacturing pharmaceutical products.

Activated Carbon Monolith Catalysts (ACMC)
offer advantages over particulate-based catalysts

Activated Carbon Monolith Catalysts (ACMC) combines the chemistry of activated carbon and the structural stabilty of ceramic monoliths.

  • improves selectivity over particulate-based catalysts for continuous hydrogenation and other reductive chemistries.
  • improved physical stability over particulate based catalysts
  • show lower pressure drop and decreased attrition relative to particulate based catalysts

We are committed to applying world-class catalyst technology for the chemistry of interest using internal and industry standard catalysts – assuring the best available catalysts for each application, whether we produce the catalysts or sourced from world-class vendors.

Bring Us Your Challenge

For a quarter-century

Applied Catalysts

Has provided a broad array of catalysts,

along with development, testing and troubleshooting services, to enhance clean air and chemical process applications.