IMPROVED CATALYSTS FOR HEAVY OIL UPGRADING BASED ON ZEOLITE Y NANOPARTICLES ENCAPSULATED IN STABLE NANOPOROUS HOST

Ingram, Conrad ; Mitchell, Mark

Clark Atlanta University

关键词: 02 Petroleum;    Zeolites;    X-Ray Diffraction;    36 Materials Science;    Precursor;   

DOI  :  10.2172/892696
RP-ID  :  None
RP-ID  :  FG26-02NT41676
RP-ID  :  892696

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

The objectives of this project are to synthesis nanocrystals of highly acidic zeolite Y, encapsulate them within the channels of mesoporous (nanoporous) silicates or nanoporous organosilicates and evaluate the ''zeolite Y/Nanoporous host'' composites as catalysts for the upgrading of heavy petroleum feedstocks. Our results to date are summarized as follows. The synthesis of high surface ordered nanoporous silica of expanded pore diameter of 25 nm (larger than the standard size of 8.4 nm) using trimethylbenzene as a pore size expander was accomplished. The synthesis of zeolite Y nanoparticles with median pore size of approximately 50 nm (smaller than the 80 nm typically obtained with TMAOH) using combined TMABr/TMAOH as organic additives was also accomplished. The successful synthesis of zeoliteY/Nanoporous host composite materials by sequential combination of zeolite precursors and nanoporous material precursor mixtures was implied based on results from various characterization techniques such as X-Ray diffraction, infrared spectra, thermal analysis, porosimetry data. The resulting materials showed pore sizes up to 11 nm, and infrared band at 570 cm{sup -1} suggesting the presence of both phases. New results indicated that good quality highly ordered nanoporous silica host can be synthesized in the presence of zeolite Y seed precursor depending on the amount of precursor added. Preliminary research on the catalytic performance of the materials is underway. Probe acid catalyzed reactions, such as the cracking of cumene is currently being conducted. Work in the immediate future will be focused on the following three areas: (1) Further characterization of all-silica and aluminosilicate mesoporous materials with expanded pore sizes up to 30 nm will continue; (2) Research efforts to reduce the average particle size of zeolite nanoparticles down to 35-30 nm will continue; (3) Further synthesis of ZeoliteY/Nanoporous host composite catalysts of improved structural and physicochemical characteristics will be conducted by changing the amount and chemistry of the zeolitic precursors added; and (4) Investigation on the catalytic properties of the materials using probe catalytic reactions (such as cumene cracking), followed by catalytic testing for heavy oil conversion.