Catalytic isomerization of nparaffins over micro mesoporous materials

Abstract

The aim of the present scientific research is to investigate the high surface area supports synthesis, their characterization, preparation of various catalysts using the different supports (Sulfated zirconia supported on SBA-15, Pt supported on micro-mesoporous ZSM-5, Pt supported on dealuminated mordenite and ionic liquid catalysts supported on SBA-15) and investigating the activity of the catalysts in isomerization of n-alkanes and commercial feed of light naphtha octane number improvement. The Pt-SO4-ZrO2(unsupported) as well as the Pt-SO4-ZrO2 catalysts supported on SBA-15 with different amounts (10, 20 30, 40 wt%) of ZrO2 prepared by precipitation method loaded with platinum of 0.5 wt%. The catalysts were systematically characterized using Low and High angle XRD, BET, TEM and FT-IR spectroscopic analysis. The surface area and pore volume decreases with increasing ZrO2 wt% as a result of zirconium oxide deposition within the pores. Also, the SBA-15 orderliness is decreased when 30% ZrO2 is deposited which is confirmed by TEM. The catalytic activity of as-synthesized catalysts systematically evaluated in the n-pentane, n-hexane isomerization in addition to commercial feed of light naphtha octane number enhancement. The following reactions conditions were optimized particularly, hydrogen pressure, temperature, weight hourly space velocity (feed rate), as well as hydrogen flow rate to test the performance of the catalysts. The unsupported sulfated zirconia is found to be the least active among the catalysts. The SBA-15 supported 30% sulfated zirconia catalyst is the most active one in the n-pentane, n-hexane isomerization and also to commercial feed of light naphtha octane number enhancement.The hierarchical ZSM-5 samples with different Si/Al ratios (5.4, 10, 22 and 50) prepared through hydrothermal method was loaded with 0.5 wt% Pt. The prepared supports and catalysts have been characterized with the help of a number of methods which can include, XRD, XRF, FT-IR, N2 adsorption-desorption, HR-SEM, HR-TEM,