We enable sustainability

Methanol to DME with Al 3992 E

The dehydration of methanol to DME is an integral part of several important syngas-based routes towards olefins and engine fuels.

BASF has developed in-depth experience on this application and is able to offer a state-of-the-art alumina catalyst portfolio including an advanced trilobular shape.

Our customers benefit from the high activity at low temperature with conversion level close to equilibrium and selectivity towards DME above 99 %.

Green hydrogen

Green Hydrogen refers to hydrogen generated by electrolysis with electrical energy generated by regenerative sources (wind, solar, hydropower).

Depending on the application, any oxygen still present in the hydrogen stream needs to be removed and the product stream must be dried.

BASF offers a complete range of product to treat the product streams from electrolyzers.

Methanol from CO₂ & CO

The easy handling, logistics, storage and its various uses are the reasons for the rising MeOH demand.

Accelerated by the megatrend of reducing carbon emissions, MeOH synthesized from CO₂ and H₂ is getting more and more attractive.

In addition, BASF offers novel MeOH synthesis catalysts (standard process) which are tailormade to perform at CO₂-rich feedstock conditions.

One-step dimethyl ether process

Dimethyl ether (DME), conventionally produced in a
two-step process via MeOH, is a well-known chemical mostly used in LPG blending.

Today, additional applications for DME contribute to address the global environmental challenges, e.g. using DME as alternative fuel or as key intermediate to olefin production.

Using an innovative approach, BASF focused on the efficient usage of CO₂ to convert CO-rich syngas to dimethyl ether (DME) in a one-step process, taking advantage of favorable thermodynamics.

Dry reforming with SYNSPIRE™ G1-110

Production of syngas via conventional steam reforming process is an energy and CO2 intensive technology.

The new SYNSPIRE™ G1-110 catalyst enables a significant reduction of process steam associated to a large share of CO2 import, thus saving energy consumption and reducing the carbon footprint of your syngas operation.

Linde’s DRYREF™ advanced process technology is taking full advantage of the features of BASF’s new SYNSPIRE™ G1-110 catalyst.

With a new technology and an innovative catalyst concept, CO₂ & H₂ can be used to produce synthetic natural gas (SNG) via the methanation reaction.

The SNG produced can be certified as carbon-neutral when considering the utilization of CO₂ in the process feed.

The carbon-neutral SNG product may be entered into the gas grid at any location. It can later be consumed from the grid to use it at any location.

Green carbon monoxide production

The reverse water gas shift reaction consumes CO₂ and generates CO and H₂O, thus leading to green CO when applying H₂ from renewable sources.

This reaction opens a pathway to the production of green syngas.

Green syngas is an interesting option to enter downstream applications such as the Fischer-Tropsch process to produce green fuels.

BASF has developed a new, Ni-based catalyst, with high activity and stability proven at miniplant scale.

We look for partnerships and target the demonstration of our performance at a larger scale

Dehydrogenation of (bio-)ethanol to ethyl acetate

In the recent years, the interest in the ethanol production from renewable natural sources has strongly grown in the world. The low-cost ethanol availability has also favored the production of different chemicals starting from ethanol as raw material.

The dehydrogenation of (bio-)ethanol provides a sustainable and commercially competitive access ethyl acetate.

BASF offers new Cr-free catalysts with successful commercial track record and unprecedented catalytic performance supporting customer’s transition into commercially attractive and more sustainable value chains.

Dry reforming with SYNSPIRE™ G1-110

Production of syngas via conventional steam reforming process is an energy and CO₂ intensive technology.

The new SYNSPIRE™ G1-110 catalyst enables a significant reduction of process steam associated to a large share of CO₂ import, thus saving energy consumption and reducing the carbon footprint of your syngas operation.

Linde’s DRYREF™ advanced process technology is taking full advantage of the features of BASF’s new SYNSPIRE™ G1-110 catalyst.

Oxidation of Ethylene to Vinyl Acetate Monomeres (VAM)

BASF offers a broad range of catalysts and high expertise for VAM production via ethylene.

The excellent selectivity of BASF VAM catalysts reduces carbon dioxide formation as one of the major by-products and allows our customer to minimize their CO₂ footprint.

Contact our Sales Team

Ethylenoxide (EO)

In the direct oxidation of ethylene to ethyleneoxide CO₂ is the major by-product.

The new BASF EO-catalysts are especially designed to minimize this undesired side reaction.

The unique combination of state-of-the-art production technology and proprietary recipe of this catalyst lead to a superior performance and benefit for our customers.

Contact our Sales Team

E2E with Alumina 399x series

The ethanol to ethylene process represents an attractive option to enter the diverse ethylene value chains based on bio-feedstocks.

BASF has developed in-depth experience on this application and is able to offer a state-of-the-art alumina catalyst portfolio for the steam-assisted dehydration of different ethanol grades.

Our customers benefit from the best possible raw material utilization with both conversion level and selectivity towards ethylene above 99 % regularly achieved on industrial scale.

Read more about our absorbents for olefin purification.

Biodiesel / FAME with TiS

Biodiesel, derived from plants or animals and consisting of FAME, is used as drop-in biofuel.

BASF has developed in-depth experience on this application and is able to offer a state-of-the-art alumina catalyst.

Our customers benefit from the best possible raw material utilization with free fatty acid conversion level above 98 % stably.

Oxidation of propylene to acrolein with AA-101

Building on our core competencies in material science and surface chemistry, BASF’s AA-101 offers excellent stability and high selectivity for the oxidation of propylene to acrolein.

AA-101 is a molybdenum based fully active ring tablet for the oxidation of propylene to acrolein (1st stage acrylic acid synthesis). It is typically used at temperatures above 300 °C and slightly elevated pressure.

AA-101 is a robust catalyst that is commercially proven for more than a decade in BASF’s own operations worldwide.

Contact our Sales Team

C3/C4 alcohol dehydration with Al 399x

The C3/C4 alcohol dehydration to olefin process represents an attractive option to enter the diverse C3/C4 value chains based on bio-feedstocks.

BASF supplies alumina catalyst which have proven their performance for many years on industrial scale.

Our customers benefit from the high catalytic performance with good tolerance towards water levels contained in the alcohol feedstock.

Read more about our absorbents for olefin purification.

Glucose hydrogenation to sorbitol

The production of sorbitol typically is made via the hydrogenation of glucose. For this production process BASF supplies Actimet 8040P. This is a leaching resistant, skeletal Ni catalysts with high activity and fast settlement behavior.

Alternatively, BASF has available a ruthenium on carbon powder catalyst. Compared to Actimet 8040P, this catalyst is at least twice as active, reaching >99% selectivity towards sorbitol and can be re-used multiple times.

Hydrogenation of Furfural to Furfuryl alcohol

Furfural has been identified as one of the most promising chemical platforms directly derived from biomass and the technology for its production is already largely established.

The selective hydrogenation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol is a commercially established process that occurs either liquid or gas phase technologies.

Methanol to Ethanol

Production of high value chemical compounds from various mixed waste streams is of high interest to recycle and make use of valuable, low-cost carbon sources.

Methanol can be readily produced from waste streams via syngas. BASF now enables the follow-up conversion of this methanol stream to high value chemical compounds. With the help of BASFs heterogeneous precious metal catalysts carbonylation to renewable-source ethanol and other valuable C₂ compounds can be achieved.

Our catalyst solution will enable you to enhance the sustainability and profitability aspects of your waste to chemical process.

2-Methylfuran (2MF)
Hydration of Furfural with Cu 0203 T catalyst

BASF’s Cu 0203 T catalyst is the catalyst of choice for conversion of furfural to 2MF. It distinguished by its excellent selectivity for 2MF formation, high mechanical resistance and resistance to multiple regeneration cycles. It is easy to work with in terms of activation-reoxidation-regeneration-reactivation with no significant exotherms during these operations, thus has less probability to catch fire. Also, the copper catalyst E 415T, a Cr-free alternative is available.

C3/C4 alcohol dehydration with Al 399x

The C3/C4 alcohol dehydration to olefin process represents an attractive option to enter the diverse C3/C4 value chains based on bio-feedstocks.

BASF supplies alumina catalyst which have proven their performance for many years on industrial scale.

Our customers benefit from the high catalytic performance with good tolerance towards water levels contained in the alcohol feedstock.

bio-Butanediol (bio-BDO)

1,4 Butanediol (BDO) is a low viscosity glycol used as an intermediate i.e., for the production of polymers and is typically produced via an energy intensive petrochemical route starting from acetylene and formaldehyde.

Biomass-derived succinic acid can be used as an alternative entry point into this value chain. The commercially available technology is based on the esterification of bio-succinic acid with methanol, followed by hydrogenation of the resulting ester, and the consequent co-production of BDO, tetrahydrofuran (THF) and γ-butyrolactone (GBL).