ROLE OF SOLVENT IN SLURRY PHASE REACTIONS

Abstract

There exists an optimal amount of solvent (generally water) that can be added to the slurry phase reaction between solid reactants; the reactivity and efficiency of such reactions are different from those without solvent or those with large amount of solvent. Obviously, the solvent plays a crucial role in the process of the reaction, and it is the key to the understanding of unique reactivity and high efficiency of such slurry phase reactions. The water molecule absorbed on the surface of solid reactants, which is called bound water, has uniquely different properties compared with bulk water. Surface hydroxylation resulting from bound water greatly influences the chemical activity of the surface, which could be playing a role as catalyst or as the initialization point for further reactions, so that the reactants can react easily and fast under a simple reaction condition.