Methyl Isobutyl Ketone Research Articles

Improvement of energy efficiency and production performance in a heteroazeotropic batch distillation unit: A study on decanter control and feeding strategy

Dehydration of methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) using a batch distillation unit has been investigated through process simulation. Applying a decanter for upgrading the heteroazeotropic distillation is analyzed in different aspects. The unit performance dependency on the feed quantity, decanter design/control policy, decanter holdup volume, and subsequent phase separation quality are evaluated in detail. Feed quantity is recognized as a key factor influencing unit performance. Although increasing the feed quantity leads to a higher production rate (SPF) and lower specific energy cost (SEC), the optimal feed quantity is identified as the point beyond which further improvements in these variables become negligible. Also, reflux initiating time, liquid–liquid separation grade, loss of the desired component along with the effluent stream, and holdup loss at the end of the process are recognized as functions of decanter holdup quantity. Accordingly, a perfect decanter with a large holdup volume is not necessarily the best option. The evaluation indicates that an effective decanter lies on a larger aqueous phase holdup and smaller organic phase holdup, as long as it is capable of efficiently separating the liquid phases (over 75% separation efficiency for each phase). It is found that applying a well-designed and properly controlled decanter for the mixture separation (MIBK-water) can improve the unit recovery by up to 6% and the production rate (and energy cost) by up to 7% compared to a conventional batch distillation unit. Furthermore, an inverted batch distillation configuration with a gradual feeding policy is applied as an alternative and compared to other operation policies. The feeding schedule is found to be the key factor in this mode. The results reveal that an inverted distillation unit equipped with a properly designed and controlled decanter provides up to 17% improvement in energy and production rate as well as 7% in recovery for a 9% shorter process time compared to a conventional batch distillation unit.

Separation and production of metallic magnesium from salt lake brine by extraction-electrodeposition technology

The conventional methods of producing metallic magnesium involve high temperatures, high pollution, and high energy consumption. Herein, the separation and production of metallic magnesium from salt lake brine was carried out using an environmentally friendly extraction-electrodeposition method. 16 functional ionic liquids, consisting of four saponified anions and four quaternary ammonium salt cations, were synthesized and employed as both extractants and supporting electrolytes. The study showed that the compound [A336][V10], which was produced using methyltrioctylammonium ([A336]+) and saponified neodecanoic acid ([V10]−), exhibited a significant extraction rate of Mg2+ and electrical conductivity in methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK). The extraction efficiency for Mg2+ with a concentration of 54.04 g·L−1 was found to be 60.98%. After extraction, the electrical conductivity of the organic phase was measured to be 649 μS·cm−1. The extraction mechanism and phase equilibria showed that the organic system exhibited limited solubility with the aqueous phase, and the Mg2+ in the brine was extracted by [A336][V10] in the form of MgCl2·2[A336][V10] through monodentate coordination with the carboxyl group in [V10]−. Following extraction, metallic magnesium was successfully electrodeposited from the organic phase. This is the first time that metallic magnesium was directly produced from a common extraction system at room temperature. This method avoids both the dehydration of MgCl2·6H2O and the melting of anhydrous MgCl2 at high temperatures, which are typically encountered in the traditional procedure of producing metallic magnesium from brines, and it offers a new strategy for metallic magnesium production with low energy consumption.

Extraction of mandelic acid with tri-octyl-phosphine oxide (TOPO) in different solvents: Equilibrium and neural network analysis

Mandelic acid is an important carboxylic acid used in pharmaceutical industries. It is also important to use it as a purified form. In this study, selective extraction of mandelic acid was done by tri-octyl-phosphine oxide (TOPO) diluted in different solvents such as methyl isobutyl ketone, 1-octanol, octyl acetate, dimethyl phthalate, 2-octanone, cyclohexane and toluene. The high selectivity of mandelic acid from aqueous solution was supported by thermodynamic parameters (loading factor, distribution coefficient, and extraction efficiency). The obtained values for each solvent were applied to the Neural Network Analysis to predict phase equilibrium behaviour in ternary systems. The results showed the highest mandelic acid extraction efficiency (93.65 %) and distribution coefficient (14.74) were attained with the organic phase mixture prepared with MIBK and TOPO. Also, it was found that extraction efficiencies increased with increasing TOPO amount in the medium for all studied solvents.

Exergy analysis of process configurations for phenol recovery from wastewater

Wastewater with high phenol content, primarily generated by the petrochemical, coal, oil, and gas industries, must be treated before disposal to meet global regulations and prevent environmental harm. Liquid-liquid extraction is a well-studied method employed to address this need. Despite the extensive focus on to energy performance, exergy analysis has not yet been incorporated. Therefore, this study aims to compare four process configurations by integrating an exergetic approach with economic and emissions analyses to quantify thermodynamic efficiency, total annual cost, and CO2 emissions. Process simulations were conducted using Aspen Plus V.12, and the economic analysis was performed using the Aspen Process Economic Analyzer. The input streams of all configurations were 100 ton/h of wastewater containing 275 kg/h of phenol and 266 kg/h of hydroquinone, with pure methyl iso-butyl ketone (MIBK) as the makeup solvent. Extraction and mixing exhibited the lowest exergy destruction, while distillation accounted for approximately 55 % of the total exergy destruction. Configurations that incorporated direct medium-pressure steam input resulted in greater exergy destruction, leading to reduced exergy efficiency, but a lower total annual cost. The most economical configuration was achieved by heat integration of De Dietrich® process with low-pressure steam (C-IE lps), benefiting from exergy analysis insights. The exergy efficiency of this configuration increased from 33 % to 38 %, and the total annual cost decreased by 183 thousand USD per year compared to the initial De Dietrich® process (configuration C). Similarly, CO2 emissions were reduced to the lowest level, reaching 4.87 kg CO2 /h.

STUDIES THE CRUCIAL ROLE OF SELECTION OF EXTRACTANT TO EXTRACT NIOBIUM FROM SULFURYL FLUORIDE SOLUTION AND OPTIMIZATION OF EXTRACTION CONDITIONS

The increasing demand for rare refractory metals such as niobium in high-tech industries requires the development of efficient and sustainable methods to extract them from secondary sources, including industrial by-products. This study studied niobium extraction from a fluoride-sulfuric acid solution obtained by leaching a niobium-containing intermediate product. A comprehensive assessment of various organic extractants, including methyl isobutyl ketone, tributyl phosphate, trioctylamine, and Cyanex 923, was performed, focusing on the recoverability of niobium from this solution. Experimental results show that Cyanex 923 is significantly superior to other extractants in efficacy. The extraction of niobium at different concentrations of this extractant in toluene and the ratios of organic and aqueous phases were studied. It is established that an increase in the contact time of the phases does not contribute to additional niobium recovery. Studies show that applying concentrated Cyanex 923 in toluene ensures complete recovery of niobium into the organic phase. The three-stage counter-current extraction shows a slightly higher niobium recovery efficiency than the single-stage process.

The Overlooked Role of Humin in Dark Hydroxyl Radical Production during Oxygenation.

Humin, endowed with abundant redox functional groups, can be reduced anaerobically under dark. When reduced humin encounters O2, the possibility of ·OH formation arises. However, the exploration of ·OH generation mediated by humin has not been comprehensively conducted. The study found that O2 oxidized the reduced humin, generating 8.61 μmol/g of ·OH. After isolating humin using the methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) method, the lipid component was identified as the primary contributor to ·OH generation. Subsequent polar separation revealed that the lipid fraction extracted from the ethanol-water mixture with a volume ratio of 7:3 (LFEW7:3) played the most significant role in ·OH production. Further characterization confirmed that the simultaneous presence of aromatic C═C and C═O were the predominant features contributing to the ·OH generation. The ·OH generation experiments with humin-pyridine analogue compound demonstrated that polycyclic pyridine N (≥3 rings) played a significant role in promoting the ·OH generation. Most importantly, the study compared the ·OH production by humin and homologous humic acid, indicating that ·OH generated by humin was higher than that of humic acid. Overall, these affirmative findings manifested the overlooked role of humin in ·OH production and offered valuable insights into the mechanism of ·OH generation by humin in the dark.

Three-liquid-phase behavior in the quaternary systems of water + phosphoric acid + diisopropyl ether + tributyl phosphate/methyl isobutyl ketone at 298.2 K

The three-liquid-phase formation in the ternary system of water + phosphoric acid + diisopropyl ether (DIPE) makes the phosphoric acid extraction only effective for acid mass fractions above 0.69. To avoid the undesirable formation of the third phase and enhance acid extraction, particularly at low concentrations, two phase modifiers, methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) and tributyl phosphate (TBP), were systematically studied. In order to quantify the synergetic effect of the mixed solvents of DIPE+TBP and DIPE+MIBK, the liquid–liquid equilibria for the quaternary systems of H2O+H3PO4 + DIPE+TBP and H2O+H3PO4 + DIPE+MIBK were fully established for different DIPE/phase modifier (TBP or MIBK) mass ratios (90/10, 70/30, 50/50, and 20/80) at 298.2 K under atmospheric pressure using the cloud point and Othmer graphical method. Othmer-Tobias and Hand correlations were used to fit the tie-line data and assess its consistency. In addition, the behavior of the three-phase zone was also studied as a function of the phase modifiers content. Separation factor (S) and acid distribution (D2) were used to identify the most effective solvent with the potential to enhance phosphoric acid extraction from aqueous solutions.

Brønsted Acid Ionic Liquid Catalyzed Depolymerization of Poly-(3-hydroxybutyrate) to 3-Hydroxybutyric Acid: Highly Selective and Sustainable Transformation in Methyl Isobutyl Ketone and Water-Containing Phase-Separable Reaction Media

Brønsted Acid Ionic Liquid Catalyzed Depolymerization of Poly-(3-hydroxybutyrate) to 3-Hydroxybutyric Acid: Highly Selective and Sustainable Transformation in Methyl Isobutyl Ketone and Water-Containing Phase-Separable Reaction Media

Separation of Butyric Acid from Aqueous Solution by Methyl Isobutyl Ketone with the Introduction of Biological Buffer (EPPS/MOPS) at Elevated Temperatures

Separation of Butyric Acid from Aqueous Solution by Methyl Isobutyl Ketone with the Introduction of Biological Buffer (EPPS/MOPS) at Elevated Temperatures

AIEE based fluorescent detection of Enrofloxacin using methyl isobutyl ketone as a backbone for the resilient 2D MIBK-Sn nanosheets

For the first time, we proposed a novel approach to create enduring and robust fluorescent nanosheets by using MIBK as the backbone to form the 2D MIBK-Sn nanosheets (2D MIBK-Sn NS) for detecting ENR. These nanosheets were synthesized in situ using probe ultrasonication to facilitate the formation of MIBK-based 2D tin nanosheets. The LOD and LOQ for ENR in aqueous solutions was 4.90 and 16.1 nM, respectively. Linear calibration curves were obtained with correlation coefficient (R2) = 0.9920 in a linear range of 0–2 µM. Recovery results from real samples ranged from 90 to 106 % of the nominal values. Milk and urine samples were analyzed at concentrations ranging from 0.3 to 1.7 µM.

One-Pot Liquid-Phase Synthesis of Methyl Isobutyl Ketone Over Bifunctional Ion-Exchange Resins: Unravelling the Role of Resins Structure and Active Pd or Cu Phases on Sintering, Leaching and Catalytic Activity

One-Pot Liquid-Phase Synthesis of Methyl Isobutyl Ketone Over Bifunctional Ion-Exchange Resins: Unravelling the Role of Resins Structure and Active Pd or Cu Phases on Sintering, Leaching and Catalytic Activity

Assessment of organic solvents for 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and distribution in water/cyclohexanone biphasic system

2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) is one of the most promising sugar-derived building blocks aimed to produce greener polymers, such as the 100 % recyclable bioplastic polyethylene furanoate (PEF). One incipient field of research is the development of liquid–liquid biphasic systems for FDCA production from 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to increase selectivity and minimize undesirable by-product formation. In this work, we first performed an assessment of potential organic green solvents to form biphasic systems considering operability, along with safety, health, and environmental implications. This analysis guided the selection of eight organic solvents in which the solubility of FDCA was measured: cyclohexanone, diethyl ether, isobutyl acetate, methyl isobutyl ketone, methyl ethyl ketone, methoxycyclopentane, tert-butylmethyl ether, and octan-1-ol. The results revealed the superior performance of cyclohexanone as a solvent for the organic phase/water FDCA distribution owing to its higher FDCA solubility (1.364 g/L at 293.15 K). Thus, the FDCA distribution coefficient (KFDCA) between water and cyclohexanone was examined at several temperatures (293.15–313.15 K) and various initial aqueous concentrations to gain deeper insight into the thermodynamics of the phase transfer process and the influence of pH on FDCA distribution between water and cyclohexanone. The resulting enthalpy and entropy of transfer were −15.3 ± 1.0 kJ mol−1 and −44.9 ± 4.6 J K−1 mol−1, thus the highest value of KFDCA (4.83) was obtained at 293.15 K, together with a very high separation factor (81.5) which shows the great potential of cyclohexanone to extract FDCA from aqueous solutions.

Simultaneous production of furfural, lignin and cellulose-rich residue from Eucalyptus urophylla × E. grandis by ChCl/1,2-propanediol/MIBK biphasic system pretreatment

A facile biphasic system composed of choline chloride (ChCl)-based deep eutectic solvent (DES) and methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) was developed to realize the furfural production, lignin separation and preparation of fermentable glucose from Eucalyptus in one-pot. Results showed that the ChCl/1,2-propanediol/MIBK system owned the best property to convert hemicelluloses into furfural. Under the optimal conditions (MRChCl:1,2-propanediol = 1:2, raw materials:DES:MIBK ratio = 1:4:8 g/g/mL, 0.075 mol/L AlCl3·6H2O, 140 °C, and 90 min), the furfural yield and glucose yield reached 65.0 and 92.2 %, respectively. Meanwhile, the lignin with low molecular weight (1250–1930 g/mol), low polydispersity (DM = 1.25–1.53) and high purity (only 0.08–2.59 % carbohydrate content) was regenerated from the biphasic system. With the increase of pretreatment temperature, the β-O-4, β-β and β-5 linkages in the regenerated lignin were gradually broken, and the content of phenolic hydroxyl groups increased, but the content of aliphatic hydroxyl groups decreased. This research provides a new strategy for the comprehensive utilization of lignocellulose in biorefinery process.

Influence of Ethanol Grade on Captures of Ambrosia Beetles in Tree Fruit Orchards, Ornamental Nurseries, and Lumber Yards.

Ambrosia beetles, particularly invasive species within the tribe Xyleborini, such as Xylosandrus germanus (Blandford, 1894), pose significant threats to various ecosystems and managed habitats worldwide. Monitoring these invaders is vital for effective pest management, typically accomplished through ethanol-baited traps. We compared trap efficacy using denatured ethanol versus absolute ethanol in orchards, tree nurseries, and lumber yards in northeastern Ohio, USA, finding that absolute ethanol traps captured significantly more X. germanus. Analysis revealed acetone, ethanol, and methyl isobutyl ketone in the denatured ethanol, likely impacting trap efficacy. Our study underscores the importance of using pure denatured ethanol without acetone for effective monitoring, especially for X. germanus. Exotic xyleborines dominated trap captures across various habitats, emphasizing the need for tailored pest management strategies. Further research is warranted to explore the chemical ecology of ambrosia beetles and the influence of ethanol impurities on trap effectiveness.

The potential correlation between the succession of microflora and volatile flavor compounds during the production of Zhenba bacon

Microbial composition plays an important role in the quality and flavor of bacon. The aims of this study were to detect bacterial community succession using high-throughput sequencing (HTS) and volatile flavor compound changes using gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) during the production of Zhenba bacon. The results showed that a total of 70 volatile compounds were detected. Among them, ketones, hydrocarbons, aldehydes, esters and alcohols were the main substances in the curing and smoking stages. In addition, the fungal abundance was greater than the bacterial abundance, and there was obvious succession of the microbial community with changes in fermentation time and processing technology. The main functional bacterial genera in the curing and smoking stages were Staphylococcus, Psychrobacter and Latilactobacillus, and the main fungal genera were Fusarium and Debaryomyces. Through correlation analysis, we found that pyrrole, 2-pentanol, methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) and ethyl acetate (EA) were significantly correlated with Staphylococcus, Psychrobacter, Pseudomonas and Myroides (p < 0.01), and it is speculated that they contribute significantly to flavor formation. The results of this study are helpful for understanding the microbial dynamics and characteristic volatile flavor compounds in Zhenba bacon, and provide new insights into the relationship between microorganisms and flavor through potential correlations.

Process design and simulation of methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) dehydration by batch distillation: A study on unit configuration and operational policies

Heteroazeotropic batch distillation of methyl isobutyl ketone-water binary mixture is investigated, seeking a reliable operation for dehydration of methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK). The dynamic batch distillation module (BatchSep) of the commercial package Aspen Plus V.12.1® is applied for simulations. An initially fed unit at atmospheric pressure is simulated from the heating-up step until it reaches the desired MIBK purity of 99.8 wt%. Three configurations, namely conventional batch distillation unit (Mode I), batch distillation unit with decanter (Mode II), and a simple distillation unit (Mode III), are compared in a wide range of operating conditions. The effects of condenser temperature and the number of theoretical stages are also examined. According to the results, applying a decanter (Mode II) with a return fraction of over 0.75 for the MIBK-rich phase and below 0.4 for the aqueous phase provides higher MIBK recovery than the maximum achievable value in a conventional unit (Mode I), with almost no increase in process time. A perfect decanter offers an almost complete MIBK recovery, which is about 5% over the maximum value by conventional units (Mode I). Moreover, cutting the reflux (Mode III) offers the fastest way to the desired product but provides the lowest MIBK recovery value. The aqueous phase return fraction does not significantly impact MIBK recovery, but if it exceeds 0.5, it remarkably affects the process time/energy cost. When maximum MIBK recovery rate/minimum energy cost is desired, applying a decanter (Mode II) with a return fraction above 0.5 for the MIBK-rich phase and below 0.55 for the aqueous phase yields a higher production rate and a lower energy cost per unit quantity of product compared to the best achievable values for a conventional unit (Mode I). A perfect decanter improvesproductionrateandenergyefficiencyby8 %overthe best case in a conventionalunit (ModeI). Also, operation without reflux (Mode III) is preferred over a conventional operation (Mode I) with a total return fraction over 0.7 due to its superior energy efficiency and production rate.

Deasphalting of crude oils: A molecule-based model to explore an optimization approach and alternative solvents

Actual motivation to reduce environmental impact leads to an increase in the study of green technologies, even those used in processes with fossil fuels. However, far from the proposed reduction of such energies, heavier crude oils are being processed to fulfill the energy demand. Heavy crude oils require an upgrading process to mitigate the effect of noxious components or contaminants such as asphaltenes and heavy metals. In this work, a deasphalting process was studied by simulation as a pretreatment to eliminate the heavy compounds of crude oil. The simulation of such a deasphalting process was carried out by Aspen Plus® software by combining a model for crude oil, formed by 33 molecules and able to describe its complex composition, mainly in the asphaltene fraction, and a model for the phase equilibria that use liquid-liquid equilibrium equations and the modified UNIFAC (Dortmund) model.A new objective function, including extraction yield, asphaltene reduction, and the ratio solvent/crude oil, was proposed and used to optimize extraction conditions and compare the performance of several solvents. Up to 12 pure solvents of different nature (tert-butanol, n-butanol, iso-propanol, methanol, ethylene glycol, acetone, methyl-isobutyl ketone, per-fluoro heptane, anisole, 1-metil-2-pyrrolidone, sulfolane, and n-heptane) were checked as well as some binary mixtures of them to explore more sustainable alternatives against conventional paraffin as precipitating agents. Satisfactory results were obtained when alcohols or ketones were used. A deeper study was developed to understand the effects of the alcohols' molecular structure (branching, chain length, and molecular weight) as solvents. Higher branching reduces the solvent/oil ratio, while higher molecular weight leads to higher extraction yield but poorer asphaltene reduction.

Enhancement of Orthophosphoric Acid Extraction by the Synergic Effect of Tributyl Phosphate and Methyl Isobutyl Ketone in the Quaternary System H2O–H3PO4–TBP–MIBK at 298.2 K

Enhancement of Orthophosphoric Acid Extraction by the Synergic Effect of Tributyl Phosphate and Methyl Isobutyl Ketone in the Quaternary System H₂O–H₃PO₄–TBP–MIBK at 298.2 K

Design and synthesis of SO3H-based ionic liquids for direct catalytic conversion of straw to levulinic acid

The utilization of ionic liquids (ILs) in the conversion of lignocellulose to levulinic acid (LA) is a significant pathway in the field of bio-refinery. In this study, a series of sulfonic-based ILs with elongated alkyl chains were synthesized using density functional theory. These ILs were then utilized for the conversion of straw into LA in a single reaction vessel. The yield of LA was compared between a single solvent (water) and a biphasic system comprising water and methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK). Among the investigated ILs, [C3SO3HEim]Cl exhibited a higher yield of LA, reaching up to 11.3 wt% in the aqueous phase and 17.8 wt% in the MIBK-water biphasic system. Furthermore, [C3SO3HEim]Cl displayed a high catalytic efficiency (90.4%) and a yield of LA (16.3 wt%) after 5 cycles. These findings suggest that the elongation of alkyl side chains in ILs enhances the solubility of cellulose and increases the yield of LA. The MIBK-water biphasic system promotes the rehydration of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and reduces the residence time of LA in the aqueous phase, thereby optimizing its yield. This innovative approach involving ILs and the MIBK-water biphasic system presents a novel perspective for the production of LA from biomass.

The Extraction Mechanism of Zirconium and Hafnium in the MIBK-HSCN System

The extraction of zirconium (Zr) and hafnium (Hf) in methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK)—thiocyanic acid (HSCN) system has been widely used in the production of nuclear-grade zirconium and hafnium in industry, while the extraction mechanism was not adequately studied. In this study, the extraction and stripping equilibrium of Zr and Hf in the MIBK-HSCN system was studied. The results showed that elevated HCl concentration can increase the distribution ratio of SCN− and decrease that of Zr/Hf in organic phase. In the stripping process, HCl concentration and the Organic/Aqueous (O/A) phase ratio played important roles. The mechanism of the extraction reaction was discussed by considering the stoichiometric relationship of possible reaction equations and corresponding equilibrium constants. The results indicated that SCN− could be extracted into MIBK as HSCN·MIBK. Meanwhile, SCN− could also be extracted into MIBK by complexing with metal (Zr or Hf). The molar ratios of MIBK to the complexes of Zr and Hf have been found to be 5.34 and 5.03, respectively. With the increase in the initial concentration of HCl in the aqueous phase, the complexation molar ratios of SCN− to Zr and Hf increased first and then decreased, and so do the extraction equilibrium constants, which might be due to the extraction competition of HSCN and metal complexes.