Catalyst ‘breathes’ new life into acrylonitrile production

A team of engineers is reimagining one of the essential processes in modern manufacturing. Their goal? To transform how a chemical called acrylonitrile (ACN) is made—not by building world-scale manufacturing sites, but by using smaller-scale, modular reactors that can work if they let the catalyst, in a sense, “breathe.”

Their article, titled “Propene Ammoxidation over an Industrial Bismuth Molybdate-Based Catalyst Using Forced Dynamic Operation,” is published in Applied Catalysis A: General.

ACN is everywhere, from carbon fibers in sports equipment to acrylics in car parts and textiles. Traditionally, producing it requires a continuous, energy-intensive process. But now, researchers at the University of Virginia and the University of Houston have shown that by pausing to “inhale” fresh oxygen, a chemical catalyst can produce ACN more efficiently. This discovery could open the door to smaller, versatile production facilities that adapt to fluctuating needs.

William Epling, a professor and chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering at UVA, calls the technique “forced dynamic operation,” or FDO. Picture a machine cycling through work and rest periods, using short breaks to recharge and perform at its best.

This is what Epling’s team has done with an industrial bismuth molybdate-based catalyst, alternating between two phases: one containing the full mixture of ingredients needed to make ACN, and another containing only oxygen. This rhythmic approach allows the catalyst to regenerate its lattice oxygen—the source of the key reactant in driving the transformation into ACN.

“FDO is essentially like giving the catalyst a breather, letting it work harder and more effectively in each cycle,” said Zhuoran Gan, a Ph.D. candidate in Epling’s lab. When the catalyst “rests” with just oxygen, it regains strength to tackle the next cycle of production. The results were surprising: ACN production was exceeded by as much as 30% over traditional, continuous methods.

The impact could be transformative. Smaller production facilities that use this method could meet the demand for ACN growth without the need for world-scale, capital-intensive plants. Such facilities could also operate closer to end-users, like manufacturers of high-performance carbon fibers, reducing transportation costs and making production more adaptable.

Epling envisions a future where chemical manufacturing can be more flexible and efficient, with small, scalable production units that meet demand exactly where and when it arises.

The UVA team’s work underscores how sometimes, a catalyst just needs a breath of fresh air to become a powerful tool for innovation.