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Ethoxylation / Alkoxylation

High-performance technologies for tailored alkoxylates

Ethoxylation / Alkoxylation

Alkoxylation is a FED batch process in which a variable number of moles of ethylene oxide (EO) and/or propylene oxide (PO) are added to suitable substrates, which contain one or more active hydrogen atoms, in the presence of a basic catalyst.

The addition of EO/PO to the substrate is a highly exothermic polymerization reaction (due to the oxides’ high structure strain), in which the final product can contain hundreds of molecules of EO/PO per molecule of substrate. The limits to the growth of the polymeric chain in mainly practical: i.e. the increased viscosity of the product itself and the presence of side-reactions that limit the increase of molecular weight.

Ballestra can supply two different technological solutions: the High- Efficiency Stirred Reactor or the Enhanced Loop Reactor (ELR).

The high-efficiency stirred reactor technology is meant for applications where it is necessary to carry out alkoxylation reactions on viscous liquid or slurries with high solid content. The stirrer is equipped with a self-aspirating impeller, paired with a hollow shaft, which greatly increases reaction rates compared to traditional stirred reactor technology.

The enhanced loop reactor (ELR) technology can provide high-capacity production, high growth ratio (i.e. the difference between the starting material and final product molecular weight), fast reaction rates and the highest level of safety. These features can be achieved thanks to its external double loop configuration, which allows high heat removal capacity and temperature control, paired with the original gas-liquid contacting system with high mass transfer efficiency, and an overall intrinsically safe design.

Ethoxylation / Alkoxylation

Key Products Enabled by Alkoxylation

Ballestra’s technologies support the production of a variety of high-value chemical intermediates, including:

Non-Ionic Surfactants

Used across multiple industries, including personal care, detergents, and industrial applications, these surfactants offer excellent emulsification, dispersing, and wetting properties.

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Polyalkylene Glycols

Essential products in the lubricant industrial. They are obtained starting from butanol or glycol and various ratios of EO and PO.

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Polyether Polyols

Used in the manufacture of polyurethanes; these compounds are obtained starting from substances containing multiple hydroxyl groups.

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