Eastman Chemical Company
SEPARATION OF PROPIONIC ACID FROM ACRYLIC ACID VIA AZEOTROPIC DISTILLATION

Abstract:

The present disclosure relates to a process for producing high-purity acrylic acid using azeotropic distillation and using water as an entrainer. This disclosure provides a process for separating acrylic acid from recovered feed streams which comprise acrylic acid and saturated organic acids including propionic acid. The resulting acrylic acid product is of sufficient purity to produce acrylate esters and high molecular weight acrylic acid polymers.