# Optimization of Gas-Liquid Sulfonation in Cross-Shaped Microchannels for α-Olefin Sulfonate Synthesis

## TL;DR

A new microchannel reactor improves the efficiency and reduces byproducts in the synthesis of α-olefin sulfonate.

## Contribution

A cross-shaped microchannel reactor and multi-objective optimization strategy are introduced for efficient AOS synthesis.

## Key findings

- A high-precision empirical model (R² = 0.9882) predicts product content effectively.
- Optimal conditions achieved a 10% energy efficiency reduction with minimal loss in product quality.
- Microreactors show advantages for green and efficient AOS synthesis.

## Abstract

The gas-liquid sulfonation of α-olefin sulfonate (AOS) in falling film reactors faces significant limitations, primarily due to poor mass transfer efficiency and excessive byproduct formation. To overcome these challenges, a novel cross-shaped microchannel reactor was developed for the continuous gas-liquid sulfonation of α-olefin (AO) with gaseous sulfur trioxide (SO3). The influence of key process parameters, including gas-phase flow rate, reaction temperature, SO3/AO molar ratio, and SO3 volume fraction, on product characteristics and their interactions was systematically investigated using the single-factor experiment and response surface methodology (RSM). A high-precision empirical model (coefficient of determination, R2 = 0.9882) to predict product content was successfully constructed. To achieve multi-objective optimization considering product active substance content and energy efficiency, a strategy combining a two-population genetic algorithm with the entropy-weighted TOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) method was implemented. Optimal conditions were determined as follows: gas-phase flow rate of 228 mL/min, reaction temperature of 52 °C, SO3/AO molar ratio of 1.27, and SO3 volume fraction of 4%. Compared to conditions optimized solely by RSM, this multi-objective approach achieved a significant 10% reduction in energy efficiency, with only a marginal 3.8% decrease in active substance content. This study demonstrates the feasibility and advantages of microreactors for the efficient and green synthesis of AOS.