A process is described for making acrylic acid from dextrose, which comprises fermenting dextrose; removing solids from the resulting fermentation broth; removing lactic acid from the clarified broth by extraction into an organic solvent; separating out the lactic acid-loaded organic solvent while recycling at least a portion of the remainder back to the fermentation step; reacting the lactic acid with ammonia to provide a dehydration feed comprising ammonium lactate while preferably recycling the organic solvent; carrying out a vapor phase dehydration of the ammonium lactate to produce a crude acrylic acid product; and purifying the crude acrylic acid by distillation followed by melt crystallization, chromatography or both melt crystallization and chromatography.

A process is described for making acrylic acid from dextrose, which comprises fermenting dextrose; removing solids from the resulting fermentation broth; removing lactic acid from the clarified broth by extraction into an organic solvent; separating out the lactic acid-loaded organic solvent while recycling at least a portion of the remainder back to the fermentation step; reacting the lactic acid with ammonia to provide a dehydration feed comprising ammonium lactate while preferably recycling the organic solvent; carrying out a vapor phase dehydration of the ammonium lactate to produce a crude acrylic acid product; and purifying the crude acrylic acid by distillation followed by melt crystallization, chromatography or both melt crystallization and chromatography.

A process is described for making acrylic acid from dextrose, which comprises fermenting dextrose; removing solids from the resulting fermentation broth; removing lactic acid from the clarified broth by extraction into an organic solvent; separating out the lactic acid-loaded organic solvent while recycling at least a portion of the remainder back to the fermentation step; reacting the lactic acid with ammonia to provide a dehydration feed comprising ammonium lactate while preferably recycling the organic solvent; carrying out a vapor phase dehydration of the ammonium lactate to produce a crude acrylic acid product; and purifying the crude acrylic acid by distillation followed by melt crystallization, chromatography or both melt crystallization and chromatography.

A MOF production system and method of making are detailed for continuous and controlled synthesis of MOFs and MOF composites. The system can provide optimized yields of MOFs and MOF composites greater than or equal to 95%.

A MOF production system and method of making are detailed for continuous and controlled synthesis of MOFs and MOF composites. The system can provide optimized yields of MOFs and MOF composites greater than or equal to 95%.

A method for crystallizing succinic acid includes agitating a succinic acid reaction solution with a jet-flow agitator that is rotated at low speed and has a low volume power density; compared with the conventional agitators, the jet-flow agitator helps increase the uniformity of succinic acid particles, shorten the time required for crystallizing succinic acid, and raise the yield of the crystallized succinic acid as well as purity of crystallized succinic acid having a purity of 99.8-99.9%.

A method for crystallizing succinic acid includes agitating a succinic acid reaction solution with a jet-flow agitator that is rotated at low speed and has a low volume power density; compared with the conventional agitators, the jet-flow agitator helps increase the uniformity of succinic acid particles, shorten the time required for crystallizing succinic acid, and raise the yield of the crystallized succinic acid as well as purity of crystallized succinic acid having a purity of 99.8-99.9%.

A method for crystallizing succinic acid includes agitating a succinic acid reaction solution with a jet-flow agitator that is rotated at low speed and has a low volume power density; compared with the conventional agitators, the jet-flow agitator helps increase the uniformity of succinic acid particles, shorten the time required for crystallizing succinic acid, and raise the yield of the crystallized succinic acid as well as purity of crystallized succinic acid having a purity of 99.8-99.9%.

A green chemistry hydrometallurgical process for recovering one or more metals from a metal-containing material includes leaching the metal-containing material with formic acid, obtaining a leachate comprising the one or more metals as one or more metal formates, and precipitating at least one of the one or more metal formates. The metal-containing material may be a lithium-ion battery cathode material, resulting in Li formate remaining in solution and precipitation of salts including one or more of Ni, Co, and Mn formates. Steps may include filtration of the leachate, sulphurization of retained metal formate salts to produce metal sulphate salts, purification of filtered leachate by adding lithium carbonate and filtering, dewatering of the purified leachate, and thermal decomposition of resulting lithium salts to produce battery grade lithium carbonate. Carbon dioxide, water, and formic acid may be recovered and reused, without liquid or solid waste produced.

A green chemistry hydrometallurgical process for recovering one or more metals from a metal-containing material includes leaching the metal-containing material with formic acid, obtaining a leachate comprising the one or more metals as one or more metal formates, and precipitating at least one of the one or more metal formates. The metal-containing material may be a lithium-ion battery cathode material, resulting in Li formate remaining in solution and precipitation of salts including one or more of Ni, Co, and Mn formates. Steps may include filtration of the leachate, sulphurization of retained metal formate salts to produce metal sulphate salts, purification of filtered leachate by adding lithium carbonate and filtering, dewatering of the purified leachate, and thermal decomposition of resulting lithium salts to produce battery grade lithium carbonate. Carbon dioxide, water, and formic acid may be recovered and reused, without liquid or solid waste produced.