Using Life Cycle Assessment to Guide Catalysis Research

Abstract

The use of life cycle assessment (LCA) as a tool to guide catalyst development is demonstrated by comparing the environmental impact of acrylic acid production from propylene, the current commercial feedstock, to propane as an alternate feedstock. Acrylic acid is currently produced in a two-step process from propylene. Because of its lower cost, propane is an attractive alternative to propylene; however, no catalysts are currently available that can compete with the high yield of the propylene process. The LCA was performed using SimaPro, and impact assessment was determined using the Eco-Indicator 99 method. A comparison of the two feedstocks at the 87% yield of the current commercial propylene process demonstrated that switching to propane would decrease the environmental impact of the process by 20%. Determination of environmental impact as the yield from the potential propane process was varied predicts that, at yields exceeding 6%, the propane process will have a lower environmental impact than the c...