Cracking selectivity of a delaminated clay catalyst

Abstract

Gas oil cracking selectivity is reported for a delaminated clay catalyst formed by the reaction of polyoxoaluminum cations with Laponite, a synthetic small particle hectorite. The C 5C 12 gasoline yields obtained with the delaminated clay more nearly approximate the selectivity of a commercial zeolite-promoted FCC catalyst than an amorphous aluminosilicate catalyst (AAA-alumina). In addition, the delaminated clay affords higher yields of light cycle gas oil and lower yields of slurry oil than the zeolite-promoted catalyst. This latter property is found also for clays which are pillared by polyoxoaluminum cations. The zeolite-like cracking properties and similarities to conventional pillared clays-suggest that some two-dimensional zeolitic character is retained by the delaminated clay, despite the absence of discrete 001 X-ray reflections and the presence of an appreciable macroporous component. The zeolite-like cracking selectivity, as well as the amorphous oxide-like macroporosity, is consistent with a previously proposed house-of-cards structure for the delaminated clay.