Production of Ethylene through Ethanol Dehydration on SBA-15 Catalysts Synthesized by Sol-gel and One-step Hydrothermal Methods

• Published in: Journal of Oleo Science Vol. 67; no. 2; pp. 235 - 243
• Main Authors: Autthanit, Chaowat, Jongsomjit, Bunjerd
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Japan Oil Chemists' Society 2018; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Ammonia; bimetal incorporation; Bimetals; Catalysis; Catalysts; Catalytic activity; Catalytic converters; Chemical synthesis; Chemistry, Organic - methods; Conversion; Dehydration; Desiccation; Ethanol; Ethanol - chemistry; ethanol dehydration; Ethylene; Ethylenes - chemical synthesis; hydrothermal; Lanthanum; Lanthanum - chemistry; SBA-15 mesoporous silica; Selectivity; Silicon Dioxide - chemistry; sol-gel; Sol-gel processes; Temperature; Vapor phases; Zirconium; Zirconium - chemistry; hydrothermal; bimetal incorporation; SBA-15 mesoporous silica; zirconium; ethanol dehydration; sol-gel
• ISSN: 1345-8957; 1347-3352
• DOI: 10.5650/jos.ess17167

The present work deals with the catalytic performance of SBA-15 supported catalysts in the gas phase catalytic dehydration of ethanol in the temperature range of 200 to 400°C. The SBA-15 support was incorporated on a zirconium (Zr) and bimetal of zirconium and lanthanum (Zr-La) prepared by sol-gel (SG) and hydrothermal (HT) methods. The catalysts were characterized by means of N2 physisorption, SEM/EDX, and NH3-TPD. The experimental results demonstrated that the Zr-La/SBA-15-HT exhibited the highest catalytic activity. Ethanol conversion and ethylene selectivity were found to increase with increased reaction temperature. The best catalytic results were achieved for Zr-La/SBA-15-HT indicating values of ethanol conversion and ethylene yield of ca. 84% and 80%, respectively at 400°C. The most important parameter influencing their catalytic properties appears to be the interaction between metal and support depending on different methods. The metal dispersion inside the siliceous matrix of SBA-15 has a direct influence on their surface acidity. Meanwhile, the performance of these SBA-15 supported catalysts in ethanol dehydration is also related with the alteration of surface acidity caused by the introduction of Zr and Zr-La.