Abstract
The effect of integrating carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into a bi-functional Ni-Zeolite-Y catalyst was studied for the hydrocracking of heptane at 350 and 400 °C (total pressure of 5 bar). It was shown that the growth of CNTs on the surface of Ni-Zeolite-Y (Ni-ZY) results in enhanced stability and catalytic activity (conversion increased by 22% at 350 °C) compared to the conventional Ni-ZY. A significant increase in the initial transient kinetic rates of CH4 and C2H6 formation was also noticed. The CNT/Ni-ZY also showed reduced coke formation during the reaction as entailed by transient isothermal (400 °C) oxidation experiments. The formation of a crystalline NixCy phase on the zeolite surface was observed in the case of CNT/Ni-ZY, potentially responsible for its enhanced catalytic performance. This work demonstrates that the integration of CNTs in hydrocracking catalysts offers new opportunities for enhancing their catalytic activity, selectivity and coking resistance.
Published Version
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