Abstract
Linear alkylbenzene (LAB) is the precursor to the biodegradable detergent surfactant linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS). This chapter will review the two predominant commercial alkylation routes for LAB production: homogenous acid alkylation using hydrofluoric (HF) acid and solid acid alkylation. HF alkylation was the preferred route until 1995 when UOP (now Honeywell UOP) and Cepsa introduced a solid acid catalyst alternative – the Detal™ Process Unit. The Detal™ Process Unit produces LAB with an inherently safer and HF-free process and because of this, now represents the majority of new LAB manufacturing capacity. Since its first commercialization, the Detal™ Process Unit has been constantly renewed with innovations on many fronts, including utility savings, operability, product quality, and maximizing throughput. This chapter will summarize these technology advancements in detail.
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