Franziska Heck and Artur Gantarev of Heraeus Precious Metals discuss the development of precious metal-based carbon microspheres catalysts for the pharma industry
Precious metal based microsphere catalysts to bridge the gap between batch & continuous processes
Franziska Heck and Artur Gantarev of Heraeus Precious Metals discuss the development of precious metal-based carbon microspheres catalysts for the pharma industry
Properties of carrier
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Different size : 300 and 600 µ m
■ pV between 0.08 and 0.18 ml / g
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BET surface area ~ 1000 m ²/ g
Properties of Pd / Pt-based microspheres catalysts
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Up to 2.5 wt % precious metal loading ( Pt or Pd )
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PM surface area 0.4 – 3 m ²/ g
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Catalyst pH between 4 – 6
Figure 1 - Properties of carbon carrier & Pd- / Pt-based microsphere catalysts
Process efficiency and productivity have always played a major role in the development and optimisation of chemical production processes . Furthermore , producers are seeking to minimise the impact on the environment , such as through the reduction of harmful ( greenhouse ) gas emissions . In addition to the preferred use of abundant , renewable resources , process optimisation itself has great potential for the establishment of ‘ greener ’ solutions .
Among the Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry , atom economy and selective catalysis point to the importance of process efficiency . 1 , 2 In particular , the role of catalysis is critical , as more than 80 % of today ’ s industrial processes for the synthesis of bulk chemicals , fine chemicals , agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals rely on the efficient use of catalysts . 3 Therefore , making the right choice for this ‘ heart of the process ’ is essential .
To make chemical processes more efficient and thus greener , the right catalyst has to be selected in combination with the right reactor type . Particularly in pharmaceutical production ( such as for manufacturing small molecules and APIs ), many processes are established in batch mode , typically using powder-based catalysts .
However , the pharmaceutical industry is also increasingly focused on process improvement and is undergoing a transformation toward continuous processes that require shaped catalysts . 4 Consequently , it is slowly moving away from the use of traditional powderbased catalysts .
This transition offers significant advantages , including favourable catalytic properties , improved selectivity , reduced catalyst losses and easier scalability . By leveraging these benefits , pharmaceutical manufacturers can optimise their production processes , resulting in improved product quality , and increased operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness .
To bridge this transition , Heraeus is developing precious metal-coated carbon microsphere catalysts , a type of heterogeneous catalyst that can be used in both batch- and continuous-operated reactors . This also provides a better foundation for comparing both operation modes .
Significance
Continuously operated processes allow precise control of reaction parameters , resulting in consistent and high-quality products . This is particularly important in the pharmaceutical industry , where more and more processes are being transferred from batch to continuous mode .
One way to bridge this transition is to use suitable shaped catalysts that are applicable in both batch and continuous mode . This can be achieved by using chemically and mechanically robust microsphere carriers coated with precious
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