Polymers of isobutene from renewable sources
The present invention is directed to a method for preparing isobutene from a renewable source and their use in the preparation of renewable polymers. The invention also discloses purification of isobutene, selective removal of 1-butene, cis-2-butene and trans-2-butene using microporous adsorbent material, and the oligomerization of the purified liquid isobutene yielding diisobutenes and triisobutenes.
1. A method of preparing polyisobutene polymer from a renewable hydrocarbon source, the method comprising:
obtaining an alcohol mixture comprising one or more butanols from the renewable hydrocarbon source; and
contacting the alcohol mixture with a dehydration catalyst to form an olefin mixture comprising one or more linear butenes and isobutene;
contacting the olefin mixture with an adsorbent microporous material having an effective pore opening of 5Å to 5.4Å for about 6 to about 24 hours in an enclosed container to selective adsorb the linear butenes to the microporous material;
isolating the isobutene from the micro porous a material and adsorbed linear butenes; and
polymerizing the isobutene to obtain the polyisobutene polymer.
2. A method of preparing polyisobutene polymer from a renewable source, the method comprising:
a) obtaining an olefin mixture comprising isobutene and one or more linear butenes from a renewable hydrocarbon source;
b) contacting the olefin mixture with an adsorbent microporous material having an effective pore opening of 5Å to 5.4Å for about 6 to about 24 hours in an enclosed container to selectively adsorb the linear butenes to the microporous material;
c) isolating the isobutene from the microporous material and adsorbed linear butenes; and
d) polymerizing the isobutene in the presence of an additional monomer to obtain a co-polymer of isobutene as the polyisobutene polymer.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the co-polymer is butyl rubber.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the polymerization is carried out under cationic polymerization conditions.
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the olefin mixture is contacted with the microporous material at room temperature, without pre-treatment of the microporous material.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the microporous material comprises aluminium oxide-silicate.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the olefin mixture is in a liquid state.
8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the olefin mixture is in a gas state.
9. A method of preparing high purity renewable isobutene, the method comprising:
obtaining an alcohol mixture comprising one or more butanols from a renewable hydrocarbon source;
contacting the alcohol mixture with a dehydration catalyst to form an olefin mixture comprising one or more linear butenes and isobutane;
contacting the olefin mixture with an adsorbent microporous material having an effective pore opening of 5Å to 5.4Å for about 6 to about 24 hours in an enclosed container to selectively adsorb the linear butenes to the microporous material; and
isolating the renewable isobutene from contact with the microporous material and adsorbed linear butenes.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising producing the alcohol mixture containing the one or more butanols by fermentation of corn biomass.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein contacting the olefin mixture with the microporous material comprises:
placing the microporous material and the olefin mixture in a container; and
contacting the olefin mixture and microporous material at ambient temperature for about 6 to about 24 hours.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the microporous material comprises aluminium oxide-silicate.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the olefin mixture is in a liquid state.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the olefin mixture is in a gas state.