Selective hydroconversion of ethanolyzed soluble portion from the ethanolysis of Hanglaiwan long flame coal extraction residue over highly active Ni/SAPO-34 catalyst

Abstract

The ethanolyzed soluble portion (SPE) prepared from the ethanolysis of Hanglaiwan long flame coal (HLFC) extraction residue was converted to catalytically hydroconverted SPE (CHSPE) by the catalytic hydroconversion (CHC) over Ni10 %/SAPO-34 at 200 °C under an initial hydrogen pressure of 5 MPa for 24 h. The possible mechanisms for the origin and synergic effect of active hydrogen had been speculated according to the reactions of HLFC-related model compounds. H2 can be activated by Ni10 %/SAPO-34 to produce H···H, H+, and H-, the synergic effect of which leads to cleaving >C-O- bonds. After the CHC, arenes and heteroatom-containing aromatic compounds in SPE are converted to cyclanes, indicating that aromatic ring hydrogenation and heteroatom removal occur simultaneously during the CHC of SPE. The relative abundance (RA) of CH-containing species in CHSPE is larger than that in SPE, while the RAs of oxygen- and nitrogen-containing species in CHSPE are smaller than those in SPE. In addition, Ni10 %/SAPO-34 has excellent cyclability for the CHC of SPE, and the relative content of cyclanes decreases only by 17.4 % after five recycles. Undoubtedly, this investigation provides an effective strategy for directional upgrading of derived soluble portion from low metamorphic coals.