Acetic acid

Acetic acid is an important chemical intermediate used to make packaging, paints, adhesives, artificial fibres and many other everyday products. In the Cativa process, methanol and carbon monoxide are converted into acetic acid using an iridium-ruthenium catalyst system.

The catalyst provides high activity and selectivity, helping to produce more of the desired product while limiting unwanted by-products. Rhodium catalysts are also used in some acetic acid processes and in hydroformylation, or oxo processes, to make aldehydes that are further converted into alcohol and detergents.

There is a huge demand for acetic acid which has a very wide range of applications including cleaning, photography, fumigation, packaging, paints, adhesives and artificial fibres.