Investigation of linear alkylbenzene synthesis using nanotitania-supported Dawson heteropolyacid as catalyst by statistical design approaches

Abstract

Alkylation of benzene with 1-decene for production of linear alkylbenzene in the presence of nanotitania (n-TiO2)-supported Dawson heteropolyacids was studied. Various operating parameters including benzene to 1-decene molar ratio, catalyst weight percent (wt%), catalyst loading (wt%), calcination temperature, reaction time, and temperature influenced the reaction yield. Fractional factorial design was employed to screen these parameters, and significant parameters modeled by a central composite design. Finally, the best conditions were defined by using nonlinear Nelder–Mead optimization to reach maximum reaction yield.