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The Industrial chemicals company BASF is investing in additional production capacity in Ludwigshafen for its X3D catalyst forming technology for 3D printing. The plant will produce catalysts on an industrial scale and is scheduled to be operational in 2026. X3D technology produces catalysts with optimal shapes to maximize performance and efficiency while minimizing energy consumption.
The catalysts produced using this technology are not only mechanically robust, but also have an open structure, which significantly reduces the pressure drop in the reactors and increases the surface area. These advances result in improved catalyst performance and help customers increase the efficiency of their systems. Benefits include higher reactor performance, better product quality and lower energy consumption – contributing to customers’ green transformation goals.
X3D technology can be applied to a wide range of catalyst materials, including both precious and non-precious metal catalysts and supports. This flexibility allows BASF to tailor catalysts to specific customer requirements by fine-tuning parameters such as fill patterns, fiber diameters and orientations.
“BASF remains committed to playing a leading role in innovation in the chemical catalyst industry. “X3D represents a technological leap forward in catalyst production. We are proud to offer our customers new opportunities to increase the performance of their production while reducing their carbon footprint,” said Detlef Ruff, Senior Vice President of Process Catalysts at BASF.
“BASF has been successfully operating commercial plants with X3D catalysts for several years and has achieved remarkable results. This technology is capable of shaping the future for both green and traditional value chains with unprecedented efficiency and improved speed to market,” said Jens Perregaard, Vice President Custom Catalysts and Innovation at BASF.
Since 2019, BASF has been selling the sulfuric acid catalyst O4-115, which is based on X3D technology. These new forms were used in industrial plants with outstanding advantages. For example, replacing a 1.2 m³ catalyst bed with an % (equivalent to 1 MTPD or €25,000 per year).
