BASF Catalysts offers exceptional expertise in the development of technologies that protect the air we breathe, produce the fuels that power our world and ensure efficient production of a wide variety of chemicals, plastics and other products including advanced battery materials. BASF’s Catalysts division is the world’s leading supplier of environmental and process catalysts. The group offers exceptional expertise in the development of technologies that protect the air we breathe, produce the fuels that power our world and ensure efficient production of a wide variety of chemicals, plastics and other products, including advanced battery materials. We believe mobility’s future lies in more than just products. So where others come to a full stop, we’re just getting started—by leveraging the full power of BASF to continually advance our comprehensive package of sustainable solutions that enable us to travel further, as well as above and beyond. A leading supplier of high performance cathode active materials (CAM) for electrified vehicles to battery producers and automotive OEMs around the world. Protecting the air we breathe from harmful emissions through innovation. BASF leverages unsurpassed expertise in the development of emission control technologies for a wide range of market applications. BASF is committed to advancing and promoting environmentally-sound technologies to achieve a sustainable future in aviation. Offering 50 years of experience developing intelligent solutions for air quality over a wide range of applications — enabling clean air for a healthier, more sustainable future. As the global leader in chemical catalysts, BASF develops cutting-edge catalyst chemistry with our customers’ needs in mind. We want to contribute to a world that provides a viable future with enhanced quality of life for everyone. We do so by creating chemistry for our customers and society and by making the best use of available resources. BASF offers the widest portfolio of adsorbent technologies for a broad spectrum of applications in industries such as refining, petrochemical, chemical, and gas processing. Syngas, produced from natural gas or coal, is a key intermediate in the emerging technologies for gas-to-liquids (GTL), methanol-to-olefins, coal-to-liquids and fuel cells. At BASF, our Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) catalyst and additive offerings together with our expert technical services build the right solution to create value within any unit’s constraints. Paving the way toward a brighter, more secure future. Manufacturing products for sustainable solutions, reducing emissions from our processes, and using non-fossil fueled energy sources – all of these efforts help lead BASF on a continuing journey of sustainability. BASF Natural Gas experts have a diverse portfolio of products to custom design a solution and help you meet your Natural Gas treatment needs. BASF has been serving the natural gas treatment market for over 60 years. Innovative, step-change technology with dual-purpose performance: removal of heavy hydrocarbons and water to cryogenic specifications in a single unit. With more than 150 years of experience in metal sourcing, trading, and hedging, we’ve built tangible results for our industrial customers. With more than 100 years of experience in recycling materials, BASF’s end-to-end recycling program is known and trusted around the globe. As a leader in precious-metal thermocouples for many years, BASF recently applied its technological expertise to optical-based temperature measurement. Developing and producing pharmaceutical ingredients for more than 75 years, enabling us to provide the solutions you need to meet today's and tomorrow's challenges for your pharmaceutical business. Find the latest news and media information for BASF’s Catalysts division, headquartered in Iselin, New Jersey, USA, the world’s leading supplier of environmental and process catalysts. Explore this collection of resources to learn more about our innovative research and Catalyst solutions.
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BASF offers the widest portfolio of adsorbent technologies for a broad spectrum of applications in industries such as refining, petrochemical, chemical, and gas processing. The BASF portfolio includes proprietary alumina, silica, alumino-silica gels and a broad line of base metal oxide guard bed materials, including the PuriStar family.

We make adsorbents differently

Adsorption is the accumulation of atoms or molecules on the surface of a material. This process creates a film of the adsorbate on the adsorbent's surface. It is different from absorption, in which a substance diffuses into a liquid or solid to form a solution. The term sorption encompasses both processes, while desorption is the reverse process.

1 PA 2022 Adsorbents Group 1 SP

Adsorbents are used usually in the form of spherical pellets, rods, moldings, or monoliths with hydrodynamic diameters between 0.5 and 10 mm. They must have high abrasion resistance, high thermal stability and small pore diameters, which results in higher exposed surface area and hence high surface capacity for adsorption. The adsorbents must also have a distinct pore structure which enables fast transport of targeted molecules.

At BASF, we make adsorbents differently. The difference comes from not only making our adsorbents differently, it comes from thinking differently.

BASF has led the way in helping businesses and institutions across industries meet and exceed stringent moisture control standards with a variety of superior and unique alumina, desiccant and adsorbent technologies that underscore BASF’s reputation for delivering ingenious answers to tough business challenges. We make adsorbents differently and it is this distinction that sets us apart and has customers seeking us out in the marketplace for their moisture control and purification requirements.

1 PA 2022 Sorbead N 1534 SP 02

Not your traditional silica gel … Sorbead® Adsorbents: Traditional silica gel products are produced by acidifying sodium silicate, or “water glass” and then water washing the precipitate, followed by dehydration. The bead produced by BASF is produced by a proprietary oil-drop sol-gel process. The sol is created when colloidal Al/Si particles are dropped into an oil column. This process is unique to BASF. The decrease in the amount of moisture present in the original bead allows for greater pore size control and hydrothermal stability. In addition, Sorbead® is manufactured using aluminum and silica-containing components. This allows for fine control of the chemical composition of the beads and further underscores the difference in the resulting bead product. Sorbead® adsorbents are made from beginning to end differently than other adsorbents anywhere else in the world.

Not just to be different … proprietary ball forming manufacturing process The process used to produce the activated alumina F-200 series and the Selexsorb® adsorbent products is proprietary and produces unique spheres with the:

Highest density

Highest crush strength

Lowest dust

Make the BASF difference a part of your process: We control all aspects of product development from design to packaging and quality control. We provide customized products to meet specific production requirements. We offer highly-reliable technical service that incorporates the skills, expertise and knowhow found throughout BASF.

Blue Map of BASF Process Catalysts

Check out our interactive Blue Map to learn about our solutions and products within our applications.

Adsorbent Selector

BASF Adsorbents offer products used in the production of natural gas, sulfur, olefins, hydrogen peroxide, petrochemicals, aromatics and catalysts. Use our Adsorbent Product Selector to find the adsorbent that is right for you by industry, application or product by using the pull down menus below.

Markets

Products

Areas of Adsorbent Solutions

BASF Refinery Map

For over 50 years, BASF has been pioneering innovative FCC catalysts, hydrogenation catalysts, and adsorbents for refinery applications. Click below to view our portfolio of products available.

Sorbead® for CCS

Carbon capture from OASE Blue and CO2 dehydration from BASF Sorbead® provide the technology to separate, dehydrate, transport and store carbon dioxide to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

Sorbead® Air: The Ideal Adsorbent for Air Drying

Sorbead® Air is known to cut energy and maintenance costs significantly due to many of its properties. It is the best adsorbent to use for the dehydration of air.

Durasorb®: Natural Gas Treatment

BASF Durasorb® is a family of products for the purification of Natural Gas streams; designed to work together to provide optimum solutions for the most difficult gas processing conditions, including retrofit of existing units.

Olefin Purification

BASF offers a broad portfolio for treating streams used in polyethylene, polypropylene or cumene units. The portfolio also includes units recovering olefins like ethylene and propylene or generating olefins in dehydrogenation units or steamcrackers.

Sulfur Recovery

BASF provides high-quality products, proven technologies, and reliable services for the sulfur recovery process. With customized solutions, BASF supports customers to increase sulfur recovery, optimize performance, and maximize profitability.

PuriCycle®

BASF offers advanced high-performance catalysts and adsorbents for purification of waste plastics pyrolysis feeds.

Product Portfolio

PuriStar® R9-SR

BASF adsorbent R9-SR is a spherical adsorbent for removing reactive sulfur components from hydrocarbon streams in the presence of hydrogen or multiple unsaturated components.

Sorbead® R

Sorbead R is an adsorbent with high water capacity and above-average drying capacity with a low desorption energy requirement.

Durasorb® Dehy

Durasorb® Dehy is the combination of Durasorb® HD (water resistant adsorbent) and Durasorb® HR (reflux resistant molecular sieve) to capitalize on the benefits from each product.

F-200

Activated Alumina for Liquid and Gas Drying BASF F-200 is a smooth sphere of activated alumina produced by BASF’s unique manufacturing process.

Resources

Recent News and Media

P10723 Exxon Mobil Durasorb

Jan 17, 2023

ExxonMobil awards BASF Durasorb Cryo-HRU with technology qualification for LNG pre-treatment

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Joint Press Release BASF Sulzer Chemtech image

Aug 24, 2022

BASF and Sulzer Chemtech sign Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate in sustainable technologies

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BASF CAT 003379 Puri Cycle Process Visual 2500x1408px 05

Jul 13, 2022

BASF introduces PuriCycle® portfolio of catalysts and adsorbents to enable plastics recycling

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Datasheets and Brochures

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