Abstract
The activity of dimethyl ether (DME) hydrolysis was investigated over a series of solid acid and non-acid catalysts, zeolite Y [Si/Al=2.5 and 15: denoted Y(Si/Al)], zeolite ZSM-5 [Si/Al=15, 25, 40, and 140: denoted Z(Si/Al)], silica, zirconia, γ-alumina, and BASF K3-110 (commercial Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst). Dimethyl ether hydrolysis was carried out in an isothermal packed-bed reactor at ambient pressure.Acid catalyzed dimethyl ether hydrolysis is equilibrium limited. All solid acid catalysts, with the exception of ZrO2, attained equilibrium-limited conversions in the temperature range of interest (125–400°C). Z(15), Z(25), and Z(40) reached equilibrium conversions at 200°C, while Z(140), Y(15), and Y(2.5) reached equilibrium at 275°C. γ-Alumina, the most active non-zeolite solid acid, attained equilibrium at 350°C. Silica and BASF K3-110 were both ineffective in converting dimethyl ether to methanol. The observed activity trend for DME hydrolysis to methanol as a function of Si–Al ratio and catalyst type was:Z(15)Z(25)Z(40)>Z(140)Y(15)>Y(2.5)≫γ-Al2O3>ZrO2.
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