Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
151 words
In the process for improving the activity of used supported silver catalysts used in the direct oxidation of ethylene to ethylene oxide by means of molecular oxygen or air in which the used catalyst is (a) firstly washed with an inert liquid and (b) on the washed catalyst is then deposited 1 to 1,000 parts, per 1 million parts of catalyst, of cesium, rubidium or a mixture thereof: the improvement which comprises using as said inert washing liquid a solution consisting of 10 to 50 percent by weight of water, 30 to 89 percent by weight of an aliphatic alcohol having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or an aliphatic ketone having 3 to 10 carbon atoms and 1 to 20 percent by weight of an amine selected from the group consisting of propylamine, butylamine, secondary butylamine, monoethanolamine, and ethylenediamine, the percentages by weight being in each case relative to the solution.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
151 words
In the process for improving the activity of used supported silver catalysts used in the direct oxidation of ethylene to ethylene oxide by means of molecular oxygen or air in which the used catalyst is (a) firstly washed with an inert liquid and (b) on the washed catalyst is then deposited 1 to 1,000 parts, per 1 million parts of catalyst, of cesium, rubidium or a mixture thereof: the improvement which comprises using as said inert washing liquid a solution consisting of 10 to 50 percent by weight of water, 30 to 89 percent by weight of an aliphatic alcohol having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or an aliphatic ketone having 3 to 10 carbon atoms and 1 to 20 percent by weight of an amine selected from the group consisting of propylamine, butylamine, secondary butylamine, monoethanolamine, and ethylenediamine, the percentages by weight being in each case relative to the solution.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
195 words
In the process for improving the activity of used supported silver catalyst used in the direct oxidation of ethylene to ethylene oxide by means of molecular oxygen or air in which the used catalyst is (a) firstly washed with an inert liquid and (b) on the washed catalyst is then deposited 1 to 1,000 parts, per 1 million parts of catalyst, of cesium, rubidium or a mixture thereof: the improvement which comprises using as said inert washing liquid a solution consisting of (a) an aqueous ammonia solution or an alcoholic ammonia solution having an NH 3 concentration of 1 to 10 percent by weight; or (b) an aqueous alcoholic ammonia solution or an aqueous ketonic ammonia solution having an NH 3 concentration of 1 to 10 percent by weight, a water concentration of 10 to 50 percent by weight and a concentration of alcohol or ketone of 40 to 89 percent by weight, the percentage by weight in each case relating to the solution; the alcohol in (a) and (b) being an aliphatic alcohol having 1 to 6 carbon atoms and the ketone in (b) being an aliphatic ketone having 3 to 10 carbon atoms.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
195 words
In the process for improving the activity of used supported silver catalyst used in the direct oxidation of ethylene to ethylene oxide by means of molecular oxygen or air in which the used catalyst is (a) firstly washed with an inert liquid and (b) on the washed catalyst is then deposited 1 to 1,000 parts, per 1 million parts of catalyst, of cesium, rubidium or a mixture thereof: the improvement which comprises using as said inert washing liquid a solution consisting of (a) an aqueous ammonia solution or an alcoholic ammonia solution having an NH 3 concentration of 1 to 10 percent by weight; or (b) an aqueous alcoholic ammonia solution or an aqueous ketonic ammonia solution having an NH 3 concentration of 1 to 10 percent by weight, a water concentration of 10 to 50 percent by weight and a concentration of alcohol or ketone of 40 to 89 percent by weight, the percentage by weight in each case relating to the solution; the alcohol in (a) and (b) being an aliphatic alcohol having 1 to 6 carbon atoms and the ketone in (b) being an aliphatic ketone having 3 to 10 carbon atoms.