Orthoxylene (OX) is the second largest of the three commercial isomers of xylene. Almost all OX output is consumed in the manufacture of phthalic anhydride (PA), which is used to make phthalate plasticisers, unsaturated polyesters resins (UPRs) and alkyd resins.
With the largest use of PA in the modification of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resins, demand for orthoxylene will be influenced by the PVC market, which is sensitive to general economic conditions as it is consumed in the construction and automobile industries.
Mixed xylenes are produced by high severity catalytic reforming of naphtha as well as from pyrolysis gasoline from steam crackers and toluene disproportionation. The orthoxylene can be separated using a splitter and distillation.
Orthoxylene is a colourless liquid, with a characteristic odour. Repeated or prolonged exposure may cause a skin rash. Orthoxylene reacts violently with strong oxidants causing fire and explosion hazard.
Orthoxylene
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Orthoxylene
Uses and Outlook
Orthoxylene (OX) is the second largest of the three commercial isomers of xylene. Almost all OX output is consumed in the manufacture of phthalic anhydride (PA), which has three principal uses: phthalate plasticisers used in the compounding of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resins; unsaturated polyesters resins (UPRs) used in glass-reinforced thermoset engineering applications; and alkyd resins used mainly for surface coatings.
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Orthoxylene
Process Technologies
Mixed xylenes are produced by high severity catalytic reforming of naphtha, from which the C8 stream contains ortho-, meta-, and para-xylenes, and ethylbenzene. Xylenes are also obtained from the pyrolysis gasoline stream in a naphtha steam cracker and by toluene disproportionation. The xylenes are passed through a splitter where the bottom stream with a targeted amount of OX is sent to an OX distillation column to produce high purity product.
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