Improvement of Lifetime Using Transition Metal‐Incorporated SAPO‐34 Catalysts in Conversion of Dimethyl Ether to Light Olefins

Abstract

Transition metal (Mn, Fe, or Ni) incorporated SAPO‐34 (MeAPSO‐34) nanocatalysts were synthesized using a hydrothermal method to improve the catalytic lifetime in the conversion of dimethyl ether to light olefins (DTO). The structures of the synthesized catalysts were characterized using several methods including XRD, SEM, BET, 29Si‐MAS NMR, and NH3‐TPD techniques. Although the structure of the MeAPSO‐34 catalysts was similar to that of the SAPO‐34 catalyst, the amount of weak acid sites in all MeAPSO‐34 catalysts was markedly increased and accompanied by differences in crystallinity and structural arrangement. The amount of weak acid sites decreased in the following order: NiAPSO‐34 > FeAPSO‐34 > MnAPSO‐34 > SAPO‐34 catalyst. The MeAPSO‐34 catalysts, when used in the DTO reaction, maintained DME conversion above 90% for a longer time than the SAPO‐34 catalyst, while also maintaining the total selectivity above 95% for light olefins. In addition, the NiAPSO‐34 catalyst showed the longest catalytic lifetime; the lifetime was extended approximately 2‐fold relative to the SAPO‐34 catalyst. Therefore, the increase in the catalytic lifetime is related to the amount of weak acidic sites, and these sites are increased in number by incorporating transition metals into the SAPO‐34 catalyst.