Weak Lewis Acid Sites Research Articles

TiO2 modified limonite for selective catalytic reduction of NO from cement kiln flue gas with NH3

Limonite was used as a precursor and TiO2 as a modifier to synthesize TiO2/Limonite composites through the wet impregnation method. The influences of the TiO2 doping amount, the calcination temperature on the denitration efficiency and the structure and properties of composites were systematically studied. The results showed that the modified catalyst over the Ti/Fe mass ratio was 0.07 and the calcination temperature was 300°C exhibited excellent catalytic activity, good stability, and remarkable resistance to water and sulfur dioxide within reaction temperature of 100 ∼ 240°C. When NO initial concentration was 0.05 % and gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) was 36,000 h−1 and the reaction temperature was 130°C, the NO conversion efficiency reached 100 %, and the N2 selectivity was 99.6 %. When the catalyst was exposed to 10 %H2O at 150°C, it maintained a 100 % NO conversion efficiency. In the presence of 10 %H2O and 50 ppm SO2 at 200°C, the NO conversion efficiency remained at 100 %. The TiO2/Limonite catalyst possessed improved performance due to the introduction of the anatase TiO2, which led to more lattice defects, weak Lewis acid sites, and higher adsorbed oxygen mobility.

La doped silica aerogel as selective adsorbent for the desulfurization of model fuel

La doped silica aerogel composites (La2O3/SiO2-n) with different Si/La molar ratio were synthesized through sol-gel method and atmospheric drying technology, which were used to adsorb thiophenic compounds from model fuels. Compared with the pure SiO2 aerogel, the adsorption capacities of La2O3/SiO2-n obviously increased, owing to adding La species led to the appearance of the weak Lewis acid sites on the surface. The adsorption mechanism of La2O3/SiO2-n for thiophenics included the direct S-La bond and weak π-La acid-base interaction between La3+ and thiophenics, and the former was primary. Among La2O3/SiO2-n, the La2O3/SiO2-200 not only had the highest adsorption capacity for thiophene, up to 8.16 mg S/gads (i.e., 138.31 mg-S/mmol La), but also exhibited an excellent anti-aromatics competitive adsorption ability and a good regeneration performance. The adsorption kinetic and adsorption isotherms were well described by pseudo-second-order (PSO) and Langmuir models, respectively, indicating the adsorption of La2O3/SiO2-200 for TH was dominated by chemisorption, which was a spontaneous and endothermic process. The present of aromatics in model fuels had a slightly negative effect on the adsorption of La2O3/SiO2 for thiophene.

Controllable synthesis of gallium-containing MFI zeolite for bifunctionally catalyzing methanol aromatization

Ga-MFI zeolites with controllable crystal sizes were hydrothermally synthesized by using colloidal silicalite-1 as seed crystals and their catalytic performances for methanol-to-aromatics (MTA) were evaluated. It was found that the crystal size of as-made Ga-MFI zeolite became small with the adding amounts of seed crystals. Small-sized Ga-MFI zeolite with short channels shows much better coking-resistance and thus longer catalytic lifetime owning to its more favorable outward diffusion of aromatic products. In addition, the stability could be further improved by impregnating gallium species into Ga-MFI zeolite, but which slightly sacrificed its aromatic selectivity. The Ga species with different locations in zeolite play distinct roles in MTA. The weak intrinsic protonic acidity from tetrahedral framework Ga3+ could suppress hydrogen transfer reactions for light alkane formation while non-framework gallium species especially Ga2O3 nanoparticles promoted the dehydrocyclization process. The synergy between the strong Brønsted and weak Lewis acid sites contributes to the excellent aromatic yield.

Inhibiting effect of C3H6 on the performance of Cu-SSZ-13 catalysts for NH3 selective catalytic reduction

Hydrocarbons (HCs) have been found to be a potential source of catalyst poisoning in ammonia selective catalytic reduction (NH3-SCR) of NOx. As one of the predominant constituents of hydrocarbons, propene (C3H6) was selected to investigate its inhibitory effect on Cu-SSZ-13 catalysts utilized in the NH3-SCR reaction. The results of standard SCR tests mixing C3H6 and NH3 showed that the NH3-SCR activity of Cu-SSZ-13 catalysts was inhibited in the range of 150–650 °C with the introduction of C3H6 and the NOx conversion was lowest in the presence of 2000 ppm C3H6. The competitive adsorption and NH3 oxidation activity were extensively studied. It was found that NH3 and C3H6 could both be stored on Brønsted acid sites and Cu sites. The introduction of C3H6 during NH3-TPD experiments caused an increase of weakly adsorbed NH3 on the weak Lewis acid sites and a decrease of adsorbed NH3 on the strong Lewis acid sites and Brønsted acid sites, confirming the existence of the competitive adsorption between NH3 and C3H6. Based on TPO experiments, C3H6 enhanced the NH3 oxidation activities in the temperature range of 250–650 °C, and coke deposition might be generated on the catalysts, causing the decline of NOx conversion during NH3-SCR with C3H6.

Novel synthesis of aluminum hydroxyfluorides AlFx(OH)3-x and application in E-1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene isomerization

A facile, safe, and environmentally friendly preparation method is described for the synthesis of AlFx(OH)3-x by the activation of γ-Al2O3 using HCFO-1233zd(E) under various temperatures. Comprehensive characterization techniques including XRD, XPS, N2 sorption, SEM, TEM, 27Al MAS NMR, FTIR, and py-IR were employed, revealing that at lower temperatures such as 275 °C and 300 °C, the synthesis yielded AlF(OH)2, while at higher temperatures like 350 °C and 375 °C, pyrochlore AlF1.5(OH)1.5 and metastable hexagonal tungsten bronze-type (HTB) β-AlF3 were formed, with α-AlF3 detected at 325 °C. Notably, a significant quantity of AlF(OH)2 can be obtained at 325 °C within a specific time frame. This amorphous phase exhibits weak Lewis acid sites and a lower acid density, rendering it significantly more effective in the isomerization of HCFO-1233zd(E) compared to strong Lewis acid catalysts such as AlF1.5(OH)1.5 and β-AlF3, which could promote coke formation, leading to catalyst deactivation. Moreover, due to its limited further fluorination at 290 °C, the optimal catalyst exhibits prolonged lifespan and high efficiency in HCFO-1233zd(E) isomerization.

The effect of the acid pre-treatment temperature of natural diatomaceous earth on the Si/Al ratio of ZSM-5 zeolite

Bolivian diatomaceous earth is a potentially lower cost silica source than conventional high purity reagents used in zeolite synthesis. Due to its complex composition, it is necessary to pre-treat it with sulfuric acid in order to reduce impurities and regulate the aluminum content. In the present work several experiments were carried out with natural Bolivian diatomaceous earth in the pre-treatment stage. In order to determine the effect on the final Si/Al ratio, the temperature of the acid pre-treatment was varied between 50 to 155 °C. The results show that the Si/Al ratio can be modulated from 6.2 up to 38.1. These treated diatomaceous earth samples were used to synthetise ZSM-5 zeolite. The obtained ZSM-5 zeolites have a Si/Al ratio in the following range: 9.6 to 40.2. XRD, NH3-TPD and Nitrogen Physisorption techniques were used to characterise the properties of the obtained zeolites. The degree of crystallisation and the specific surface area are directly related to the Si/Al ratio, resulting in high values at high Si/Al ratios. The acid sites are composed of strong Brönsted acid sites and, strong and weak Lewis acid sites. For the zeolite with a low Si/Al ratio a high total acidity was found (>0.51 molNH3/Kgzeolite), while at high Si/Al ratios the total acidity is reduced (<0.38 molNH3/Kgzeolite).

Influence of preparation method on the activity of molecular sieve KA catalysts modified with zinc and phosphorus oxides in the non-oxidative thermocatalytic conversion of ethanol to aromatic hydrocarbons

The activity of catalysts based on KA modified with zinc and phosphorus oxides and the effect of the method of catalyst preparation on its activity in the non-oxidative thermocatalytic conversion of ethanol to aromatic hydrocarbons was studied in this work. The ZnO-P2O5/KA catalyst was prepared by capillary impregnation and solution-combustion methods and characterized by SEM, TEM, TPD-NH3, and TPR-H2. The results showed that the method of preparation affects both the reducibility, dispersity, as well as the acidity of the catalyst. The preparation of the ZnO-P2O5/КА catalyst by the "solution combustion" method, in comparison with capillary impregnation, leads to an increase in the dispersion of particles. In the composition of the ZnO-P2O5/КА (SC) catalyst, nanoparticles with sizes from 2 nm are observed. The results of TPD-ammonia showed that catalysts based on KA modified with zinc oxides have weak and strong Lewis acid sites, and Bronsted acid sites. Modification of ZnO-P2O5/КА with phosphorus oxide leads to an increase in the number of weak and strong acid sites. The highest ethanol conversion (85%) and the concentration of aromatic hydrocarbons (23 vol.%) was obtained for the ZnO-P2O5/КА (SC) catalyst, which has the highest acidity of 1206 µmol/g.

Selectivity catalytic transfer hydrogenation of biomass-based furfural to cyclopentanone

Because of furfural’s diverse unsaturated groups and the rearrangement of oxygen atoms, the production of cyclopentanone (CPO) from furfural (FF) can be challenging. Herein, a novel nitrogen-doped encapsulated catalyst (Co@NC) was synthesized to catalyze the selective hydrogenation of FF in an aqueous phase to CPO. A CPO yield of 86.5 % was obtained at 200 °C and 3 MPa H2. Meanwhile, furfuryl alcohol (FA) was inferred to be the primary intermediate in the formation of CPO and cyclopentanol (CPL). CPL originated from the further hydrogenation of CPO that was produced via FF selective hydrogenation to FA, followed by FA hydrodeoxgenation to CPO. The main presence of CPO illustrated that it avoided overhydrogenation, which contributed to the tailored hydrogenation ability of Co@NC and facilitated the selective preservation of CO bonds. The N atoms acting as electronegative heteroatoms can not only enhance the adsorption of FF but also provide weak Lewis acid sites for CPO production.

Effect of acid modification of ZSM-5 catalyst on performance and coke formation for methanol-to-hydrocarbon reaction

To study effects of different acid treatments with HZSM-5 zeolites on the chemistry of framework, acid nature, performance, and coke formation for methanol-to-hydrocarbon reaction, HZSM-5 with different Si/Al ratio were post treated with two different acid solutions (tartaric acid and ammonium hexafluorosilicate). After the post treatment with hexafluorosilicate (HZn-HF), it was found the extensive decrease in all kinds of acid sites owing to the non-selective dealumination, whereas the noticeable decrease in weak Lewis acid sites was found after the post treatment with tartaric acid (HZn-TA) resulted by the selective removal of the surface alumium. The result of the distingushed removal of Al from the bare HZSM-5 zeolites (HZn) also attributed the change in product selectivity for the MTH reaction as follows; high carbon distributions to the C2–C4 range olefins and low carbon distribution to C10+ species from the HZn-HF samples whereas high carbon distribution to BTEX from the HZn-TA samples. Analysis of the spent catalysts revealed the amount and chemistry of carbon deposits formed during the MTH reaction are directly related to the acidic nature of the HZSM-5 catalysts. For example, the amount of carbon deposit from the spent catalysts were found to be increased in the order: HZn-TA > HZn > HZn-HF. Therefore, among the bare and acid modified HZ catalysts, the HZn-HF type catalyst showed the least carbon deposition despite requiring the longest reaction time for the methanol conversion to reach 80%.

Wasteless Synthesis and Properties of Highly Dispersed MgAl2O4 Based on Product of Thermal Activation of Gibbsite

The study showed that the interaction of the product of centrifugal thermal activation of gibbsite with an aqueous solution of magnesium nitrate at a cationic ratio Mg:Al = 1:2 leads to the formation of mixed double hydroxides both under hydrothermal treatment at 150 °C and at room temperature. The subsequent thermal treatment at 550 °C of the product of mild interaction leads to ~90% alumina-magnesia spinel and ~10% MgO, while the treatment of the hydrothermal interaction product leads to ~100% spinel with the stoichiometric composition MgAl2O4. The obtained spinel samples possess a high specific surface area (above 100 m2/g) and a hierarchical pore structure formed by the micron-level particles of different sizes (1–2 and 10–20 μm) consisting of ~70 nm crystallites with ~3 nm pores; the samples differ mostly in the total volume and quantitative ratio of the pores. The samples have Lewis acid sites of moderate strength on the surface, the amount of which is much lower to how it is when compared with a sample prepared by precipitation in that they also differ by quantity from each other as well (503 μmol/g for stoichiometric spinel and 304 μmol/g for sample with admixture of MgO). As the calcination temperature is raised to 850 °C, the acidity decreases—only weak Lewis acid sites are observed, the amount of which is also higher for stoichiometric spinel (161 and 39 μmol/g, respectively). The method proposed for the synthesis of alumina-magnesia systems provides a high dispersion and a much lower surface acidity for the oxides; in addition, it minimizes or completely excludes wash water, in distinction to the precipitation method.

Facile synthesis of N, P co-doped carbon encapsulated Ni catalyst for green production of cyclopentanone from biomass derivative furfural

Aqueous-phase hydrogenation-rearrangement tandem (AP-HRT) reaction is a green and sustainable route to produce cyclopentanone from bio-based furan compounds. Herein, the ionic liquid was applied as the precursor to synthesize Ni@NP-C catalyst, which contains high dispersed nickel nanoparticles (Ni NPs) encapsulated in the N, P co-doped carbon layer, for the selectivity transformation of furfural towards cyclopentanone. The synthesized Ni@NP-C catalyst can afford 100% FAL conversion and 86.7% CPO yield at 130 °C and 1.5 MPa H2 within 2 h AP-HRT reaction. The introduction of the electronegative heteroatom on the surface can not only improve the adsorption of reactant but also provide weak Lewis Acid sites for being beneficial to the high selectivity of cyclopentanone. The catalyst displays superior activity, selectivity, and stability in the tandem catalytic system in view of the tunable chemical states of the doped heteroatoms by handily adjusting the pyrolysis temperature.

Bulk and surface transformations of Ga2O3 nanoparticle catalysts for propane dehydrogenation induced by a H2 treatment

Three γ/β-Ga2O3 nanoparticle catalysts that differ in the relative ratio of γ-Ga2O3 to β-Ga2O3 were prepared to evaluate the effect of H2 treatment (500 °C, 2 h) on the coordination environment of bulk and surface Ga sites, Lewis acidity and catalytic activity in propane dehydrogenation (PDH). Independent of the H2 treatment, the initial PDH activity of the γ/β-Ga2O3 catalysts increases with the fraction of the β-Ga2O3 phase. This is explained by the presence of weak Lewis acid sites (LAS) in β-Ga2O3 while such sites are absent in γ-Ga2O3. Treatment with H2 increases the catalytic activity of all three γ/β-Ga2O3 catalysts but for different reasons. For catalysts with higher fractions of β-Ga2O3, H2 treatment increases further the relative abundance of weak LAS, likely by generating coordinatively unsaturated Ga sites (such as tricoordinated Ga sites nearby oxygen vacancies). In contrast, H2 treatment of a catalyst containing a predominant fraction of γ-Ga2O3 phase induces disorder in the sub-surface structure of the nanoparticle, that is, it forms gallium and oxygen vacancies in the bulk and favors migration of gallium, and likely also of oxygen, to the surface. This induces a surface reconstruction that notably increases the fraction of strong LAS (and proportionally decreases the fraction of medium LAS), while creating no weak LAS in γ-Ga2O3-H2. Therefore, the increase in the catalytic activity of H2-treated γ-Ga2O3 is explained by the higher density of surface Ga sites in γ-Ga2O3-H2 relative to calcined γ-Ga2O3. H2-treated catalysts that contain a higher relative amount of weak LAS also feature a higher relative abundance of gallium hydride species associated with a low frequency FTIR band at ca. 1931–1939 cm−1, that is, weak LAS likely give weakly-bound hydrides in β-Ga2O3. Our results highlight that weak LAS in unsupported Ga2O3 catalysts are more active in PDH than mild or strong LAS.

Hydrophobicity and co-solvent effects on Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley reduction/dehydration cascade reactions over Zr-zeolite catalysts

Trans-anethole is an important ingredient in many flavors, fragrances and pharmaceutical formulations. Heterogeneous catalysis provides the opportunity for its green synthesis from 4′-methoxypropiophenone via a cascade of Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley reduction followed by dehydration. Zr-containing zeolites were especially active catalysts. Surprisingly, Zr-HY was more active than Zr-Beta or mesoporous Zr-MSU. The effect of pore size, hydrophobicity and co-solvent has been investigated. Pyridine poisoning revealed that weak Lewis acid sites can catalyze the MPV reduction but stronger acid sites are required for the dehydration. The hydrophobicity and the ratio of open/closed Zr sites were higher for Zr-HY than Zr-Beta. Adding a moderately polar co-solvent like p-xylene more than doubled the reaction rate compared to only 2-pentanol as solvent. For an efficient cascade reaction, a hydrophobic catalyst with large micropores is required which combines hydrogen transfer and dehydration activities, together with an inert co-solvent that balances the concentration of both substrates inside the zeolite.

Construction of the Fe3+-O-Mn3+/2+ hybrid bonds on the surface of porous silica as active centers for efficient heterogeneous catalytic ozonation

The Fe3+-O-Mn3+/2+ hybrid bonds were constructed on the surface of the amorphous and porous silica molecular sieve (MCM-41) by a three-step method that involved impregnation, hydrothermal incorporation, and annealing. The obtained FeMn-MCM-41 has an amorphous, less-ordered mesoporous structure with uniformly distributed Fe and Mn and a large specific surface area. It exhibits high activity, good recyclability, and wide pH applicable range for the heterogeneous catalytic ozonation (HCO). The TOC removal of methyl orange at high concentration of 327.5 ​mg ​L−1 is 78% on FeMn-MCM-41, which is not only much higher than the value of single ozonation (43%) but also much higher than the value on mixed catalysts of Fe-MCM-41 and Mn-MCM-41 (52%). We demonstrate that large amounts of the Fe3+-O-Mn3+/2+ hybrid bonds were created on the surface of porous silica, and the partial electron migration occurs in the hybrid Fe3+-O-Mn2+ (or Fe3+-O-Mn3+) bonds. As is well known, Fe3+ and Mn3+/2+ are very strong and weak Lewis acid sites in their oxides, respectively, and the partial electron migration lowers the acidity of Fe3+ sites and in the meantime increases the acidity of Mn3+/2+ sites, making both sites more suitable for catalytic production of free hydroxyl radicals (•OH). The synergetic effect of Fe3+ and Mn3+/2+ significantly improve the intrinsic activity of the FeMn-MCM-41 for HCO. This work may offer a new strategy for developing efficient mesoporous catalysts for catalytic ozonation.

Coupling effect of bifunctional ZnCe@SBA-15 catalyst in 1,3-butadiene production from bioethanol

A series of bifunctional ZnCe@SBA-15 catalysts with different Zn/Ce ratios were prepared by a solid-state grinding strategy and used in the conversion of ethanol to 1,3-butadiene (ETB). For the supported metal oxides, ZnO serves as the active sites for the dehydrogenation of ethanol, and CeO 2 promotes the aldol-condensation reaction. Based on the results of Py-FTIR and NH 3 -TPD, it suggests that the yield of 1,3-butadiene is positively correlated with the number of weak Lewis acid sites on the catalyst surface, given their benefit for aldol-condensation reactions. The catalyst with an optimal Zn/Ce ratio of about 1:5 has the highest concentration of weak Lewis acid. Coupling with the ZnO sites, it contributes to a 98.4% conversion of ethanol and a 45.2% selective of 1,3-butadiene under relatively mild reaction conditions (375 °C, 101.325 kPa, and 0.54 h −1 ).

One-step hydrotreatment of inedible oil for production the second-generation biofuel over Pt-Sn/SAPO-11 catalyst

The direct conversion of inedible oil to produce the second-generation of biofuel is a promising technology. In this study, Pt/SAPO-11 catalyst was synthesized, and it was further modified by Sn. Two typical inedible oils (Jatropha oil and waste lard oil) were used as feedstocks. The liquid yield, deoxygenation rate, selectivity of alkanes, and selectivity of iso-alkanes were studied. It is shown that the selectivity of alkanes and iso-alkanes increase simultaneously over Pt-Sn/SAPO-11. The selectivity of C8-C16 alkanes and iso-alkanes from Jatropha oil is 69.82 % and 39.30 %. In the case of waste lard oil, there were 64.42 % selectivity of C15-C18 alkanes and 50.05 % selectivity of C15-C18iso-alkanes. Pt-Sn/SAPO-11 catalyst remains a higher hydrotreating activity and stability during the 72 h test. The addition of Sn not only decreases the particle size of Pt, but also leads to a strong interaction between Pt and SAPO-11. Sn modified Pt/SAPO-11 has much weak Lewis acid sites. Increase of Lewis acid sites and total acid sites enhance isomerization selectivity and deoxygenation rate simultaneously.

Morphology control of metal-organic frameworks by Co-competitive coordination strategy for low-temperature selective catalytic reduction of NO with NH3

Morphology control of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has a great potential to achieve a superior performance for low-temperature selective catalytic reduction of NO with NH3 (NH3-SCR). In this work, we reported a co-competitive coordination strategy to control the morphology of HKUST-1 with high pore accessibility and stability in an acid environment. Our results show that varying the dose of inorganic and organic modulators can facilitate the transformation of morphology of HKUST-1 between octahedron, cube, and tetrakaidekahedron. The HKUST-1 in tetrakaidekahedron is enriched with weak Lewis acid sites that lead to an enhancement of the NH3-SCR catalytic efficiency by 93% at low temperatures between 200 and 240 ​°C. The catalytic kinetic study further reveals that the activation energy of modified HKUST-1 is the lowest among reported materials. This work could provide a promising alternative strategy to advance the low-temperature NH3-SCR catalysts via precise morphology control.

The relevance of Lewis acid sites on the gas phase reaction of levulinic acid into ethyl valerate using CoSBA-xAl bifunctional catalysts

CoSBA-xAl catalysts show a high yield in the levulinic acid conversion into ethyl valerate. This is due to the presence of weak Lewis acid sites associated with Co2+ species that have been stabilized by incorporation of Al into the support.

Solvent-Free Synthesis of Jasminaldehyde in a Fixed-Bed Flow Reactor over Mg-Al Mixed Oxide

In spite of the rapid developments in synthesis methodologies in different fields, the traditional methods are still used for the synthesis of organic compounds, and regardless of the type of chemistry, these reactions are typically performed in standardized glassware. The high-throughput chemical synthesis of organic compounds such as fragrant molecules, with more economic benefits, is of interest to investigate and develop a process that is more economical and industrially favorable. In this research, the catalytic activity of Mg-Al catalyst derived from hydrotalcite-like precursors with the Mg/Al molar ratio of 3 was investigated for the solvent-free synthesis of jasminaldehyde via aldol condensation of benzaldehyde and heptanal. The reaction was carried out in a fixed-bed flow reactor, at 1 MPa, and at different temperatures. Both Brønsted and Lewis (O2− anions) base sites, and Lewis acid sites exist on the surface of the Mg-Al catalyst, which can improve the catalytic performance. Increasing the reaction temperature from 100 °C to 140 °C enhanced both heptanal conversion and selectivity to jasminaldehyde. After 78 h of reaction at 140 °C, the selectivity to jasminaldehyde reached 41% at the heptanal conversion 36%. Self-condensation of heptanal also resulted in the formation of 2-n-pentyl-2-n-nonenal. The presence of weak Lewis acid sites creates a positive charge on the carbonyl group of benzaldehyde, and makes it more prone to attack by the carbanion of heptanal. Heptanal, is an aliphatic aldehyde, with higher activity than benzaldehyde. Therefore, the possibility of activated heptanal reacting with other heptanal molecules is higher than its reaction with the positively charged benzaldehyde molecule, especially at a low molar ratio of benzaldehyde to heptanal.

Kinetic and mechanistic study of ethanol dehydration to diethyl ether over Ni-ZSM-5 in a closed batch reactor

In the present work, mechanistic pathways and kinetics of catalytic dehydration of ethanol were investigated in a closed batch reactor for the formation of diethyl ether, and ethylene over the synthesized NiO loaded HZSM-5 in the range of 160–240 °C. The effect of the presence of water on reaction performance was also evaluated. No significant negative impact of water over diethyl ether yield was observed up to 1:1 ethanol–water molar ratio. The proposed two-step kinetic model highlights the mechanistically essential comparison between the strong (Bronsted) and weak (Lewis) acid sites of catalyst for ethanol conversion to diethyl ether. Intramolecular dehydration of ethanol over strong acid sites led to ethylene formation. Enhancement of weak acid sites due to NiO loading over HZSM-5 led to interestingly higher yields of diethyl ether by a combination of ethylene and ethanol. Optimal consideration for maximum conversions was observed with high reusability. Graphical abstract for ethanol dehydration on Ni-HZSM-5 catalyst.