Chemical Catalysts and Adsorbents

Chemical Catalysts and Adsorbents

Phthalic Anhydride Catalysts

BASF provides phthalic anhydride (PA) catalysts for the production of phthalic anhydride from the oxidation of o-Xylene and naphthalene or mixed feed. Our products and services are continually reviewed through regular BASF PA Catalyst Customer Forum meetings to ensure they align with our customers’ needs. We innovate to help customers succeed.

Dr. 
Hiu Ping CHU
Global Marketing Manager
For PA producers, BASF's o-Xylene catalysts offer safe operation at a maximum capacity of up to 100 g/Nm3 feed. Our naphthalene and mixed feed catalysts offer superior PA yield. In both cases, superior PA quality is guaranteed by expert technical service and a long-term commitment to innovation, which we demonstrate in our reference list – the longest in the world – and our in-house operations.

Why BASF?

BASF has produced phthalic anhydride for over 140 years and researched PA catalysts for more than 120 years. Since 1837, our site in Ludwigshafen, Germany has produced more than 4 million tons of PA. We have worked with post reactors since 1980, and we have more than 80 years of experience in the loading and start-up supervision of phthalic anhydride catalysts. With those decades of accumulated knowledge and insight, we stand behind our products.

When it comes to BASF’s offerings, delivering products to the customer site is just the beginning. Our technical service representatives in Asia, Europe and America ensure products always perform and deliver exceptional value to users. They do that with extensive professional expertise in phthalic anhydride catalysts, including hands-on operational experience in supervision, start-up assistance, and catalyst performance optimization.

Our expertise includes:

  • O-Xylene and naphthalene/mixed feed oxidation in fixed bed process
  • O-Xylene loadings up to 100 g/Nm3
  • Supply of complete catalyst filling and measurement equipment on loan basis, including 5-tube, 10-tube and 20-tube catalyst filling machines
  • Optimization of catalyst operation condition using portable COx analyzers
  • Verification of air flow measurements by total combustion

Technologies

Whether you work with o-Xylene feed or naphthalene/mixed feed phthalic anhydride catalysts, BASF products provide a wide range of benefits such as higher yield, improved selective and active layers, better stability, and overall exceptional quality and performance.

BASF o-x feed PA catalyst

O4-68 Catalyst Advantage

  • Higher proportion of selective layers per tube
  • Hot Spot (HS) remains longer in selective layers
  • Higher Phthalic Anhydride yield in 2nd operation year
  • Top performance for low loading

O4-66 Catalyst Advantage
  • Improved 4-layer catalyst generation
  • Improved stability of 1st catalyst layer
  • Designed for harsh operation conditions
  • Higher Phthalic Anhydride yield in 2nd and 3rd operation year
O4-88 Catalyst Advantage
  • Higher yield vs. O4-66
  • 3 selective layers
  • Patented new active mass
  • Easy start-up behavior
O4-888 Catalyst Advantage
  • 5 layer catalyst system
  • Improved selective layers and active layers
  • Excellent product quality

BASF naphthalene/mixed feed PA catalyst

O4-29HFI Catalyst Advantage
  • Improved 4 layer catalyst generation
  • Higher yield vs. O4-29HF
  • Up to 65% o-Xylene in feed
O4-35 Catalyst Advantage
  • Latest generation 5-layer catalyst system
  • Catalyst geometry adjusted for maximum performance
  • Superior PA quality

Protected Product Data Sheets

Publications

Where We Operate

Click on the map to see the locations of BASF’s research, sales and supply efforts in phthalic anhydride.

Iselin, New Jersey, USA

25 Middlesex/Essex Turnpike
Iselin, NJ 08830-0770, USA


 

Indaiatuba, Brazil

Rod. SP 73, 5756
271 Indaiatuba - SP


 

Mumbai, India

Mahindra World City, Chingleput Taluk,

Kanchipuram District, Tamilnadu
 


 

Shanghai, China

NO. 300 Jiangxinsha Road, Pudong,

Shanghai 200137, P.R. China


 

Seoul, South Korea

14-16F, KCCI Bldg., 39, Sejong-daero, Jung-gu,

Seoul, 04513, Korea
 


 

Ludwigshafen, Germany

Carl-Bosch-Straße 38,

67063 Ludwigshafen


 

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