Development of New Generation Catalyst for the Isomerization of Lighter Alkanes

Abstract

Isomerization of n-alkane into high-octane number di- branched alkanes is an important challenge for petroleum refining industries. Thermodynamically lower temperature is favored for the isomerization of light alkanes into di-branched isomers. The conventional commercial catalyst namely chlorinated Pt/Al2O3 works at low temperature but it is easily poisoned and not ecofriendly. In addition, of Pt/Al2O3 many isomerization catalysts such as Pt/zeolite Pt/sulphated zirconia and others have been developed and used in recent past. But these catalyst have certain drawbacks like resistence to water, and Sulphur in feed, and they are non-regenerable, secondely these catalyst worked at high temperature resulting low isomerate yield. newlineThus, the development of isomerization catalyst to replace the conventional catalyst is an area of research worth exploring and occupied mind of researcher world over. newlineThe present work is an effort to developed HPA based sulphated zirconia catalyst effectively promoting firstly hydrogenation /dehydrogenation function and protonic acid function. Thus, heteropoly acids supported on oxidic material was chosen as an appropriate material for the isomerization reaction. Oxidic support could provide the dehydrogenation activity and heteropoly acid could support protonation activity. newline