Process integration of KOH/diatomite preparation and cyclopentanone self-condensation via ball-milling method

Cyclopentanone self-condensation is an attractive reaction for the production of sustainable aviation fuel. However, the catalysts used for this reaction are usually complex or time-consuming to prepare. The reaction also needs to be carried out at a high temperature and over a long reaction time. In this paper, an integrated process for catalyst preparation and self-condensation via the ball-milling method was proposed. Compared with the thermocatalytic method, this process can be implemented with higher product yield (98.6% vs . 85.0%), lower energy demand (0.43 kWh· g −1  vs . 1.31 kWh· g −1 ), less preparation and reaction time (3 h vs . 32 h) at room temperature. According to characterizations, the excellent catalytic activity of catalysts prepared by the ball-milling method can be attributed to two reasons: (i) Smaller particles are formed during the ball-milling process, which is more conducive to catalyst and reactant contact during the reaction; (ii) Less moisture is absorbed by the catalyst, which has a positive effect on catalytic activity.