An eco-friendly system capable of producing propylene oxide (PO) without external electricity or sunlight has been developed. PO is a vital raw material used in manufacturing household items such as polyurethane for sofas and mattresses, as well as polyester for textiles and water bottles.
A research team led by Professors Ja Hun Kwak and Ji-Wook Jang from the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering at UNIST, in collaboration with Professor Sung June Cho of Chonnam National University, has successfully created a self-driven PO production system utilizing in-situ generated hydrogen peroxide (H?O?).
The research is published in Nature Communications.
Since PO is produced by oxidizing propylene, the process traditionally relies on H?O? supplied from the anthraquinone process, which depends on fossil fuels and results in significant CO? emissions.
In contrast, the newly developed system generates H?O? autonomously through an electrochemical reaction involving oxygen and formaldehyde, operating spontaneously without external power sources such as electricity or solar energy. This is enabled by the energy difference between the two reactions, allowing the system to function solely on chemical potential.
The produced H?O? reacts with propylene within the system to synthesize PO. The team redesigned the catalyst structure necessary for this oxidation process, overcoming the limitations of conventional zeolite-based catalysts (TS-1), which suffer from reduced activity in alkaline environments—a necessary condition for H?O? formation. This innovation significantly enhances the efficiency of the subsequent propylene oxidation reaction, resulting in improved PO yields.
According to the research team, over a 24-hour period, the system produced 1,657 micromoles (?mol) of PO per square centimeter (cm²). That is approximately eight times higher than previous eco-friendly H?O?-based production methods. Additionally, the process could concurrently produce H?, a clean energy resource.
Moreover, economic analyses indicate that this system can reduce the production cost of PO by about 8%, to approximately $2.168 per kilogram, compared to conventional methods.
Its simplified design, which omits complex pre-treatment steps and high-temperature, high-pressure equipment, along with the elimination of external energy inputs, significantly lowers capital and operational costs. Moreover, on-site H?O? production minimizes transportation and storage expenses.
Professor Jang stated, “This modular process can be easily installed at various sites, enabling small-scale, customized production and promoting a shift from centralized large-scale manufacturing to decentralized, distributed systems.”
Professor Kwak added, “This work represents a significant step forward in overcoming the long-standing limitations of zeolite catalysts, paving the way for a much more sustainable and environmentally friendly chemical industry.”
More information:
Kwang Hyun Kim et al, Self-driven propylene epoxidation on modified titanium silicalite-1 by in situ generated hydrogen peroxide, Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-63828-x
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