INTERACTION OF REACTION AND MASS-TRANSFER IN ION-EXCHANGE RESIN CATALYSTS

A two-phase model has been proposed for a macroreticular resin catalys t to analyze the reaction activities in terms of the micro- and macroe ffectiveness factors and the fraction of active sites on the surface l ayer. The accessibility of sulfonic acid groups was investigated throu gh the sucrose inversion and benzene alkylation. Internal functional g roups were found to be more active than external ones in the synthesis of methyl tert-butyl ether and the hydration of isobutylene. It was a lso shown that the distribution and local concentration level of sulfo nic acid groups within a gellular microparticle of the macroreticular resin had a significant influence on the catalytic activity of 1-buten e isomerization and the deactivating patterns of ethanol dehydration.