Green Route to Nylon Precursor Beckons Electrochemical method to make adiponitrile promises environmental advantages

摘要

USING ARTIFICIAL intelligence (AI), researchers have found a way to improve the efficiency of organic electrosynthesis. This could lead to a more innovative, environmentally friendly process to make adiponitrile (ADN), the main precursor to nylon 6, 6, say the team at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn. Traditional ADN production involves toxic, energy-intensive thermal hydrocyanation of butadiene. By contrast, electrosynthesis of ADN uses water-based electrolytes and renewable electricity sources. The standard electrosynthetic process for ADN employs an "always on" direct current delivered to the electrocatalytic site. It also generates unwanted byproduct, propionitrile (PN). The researchers analyzed via AI 16 different experimental cases of pulse times to engineer a system delivering an intermittent current to constantly replenish reagent concentration at the electrocatalytic site.