Sustainable Route of Ethylene Carbonate Production via CO2 Carboxylation: Process Development, Process Integration, and Economic Analysis

Abstract

CO2 carboxylation with ethylene glycol (EG) to synthesize ethylene carbonate (EC) is an ecofriendly alternative to traditional methods that rely on toxic, fossil-based epoxides. In this study, the sustainable production of EC for large-scale feasibility and economic viability through experimental and simulation analyses were developed. Our experimental work (case A) using a CeO2 nanorod catalyst achieved the highest EC production (0.072 mmol EC/g EG) reported in the literature without a dehydrating agent. For a comprehensive evaluation, we conducted a techno-economic comparative assessment against a study with the best EC yield using 2-cyanopyridine (case B). Process integration for both cas..