PTDF Intervention Database
Dr Atta Abdulaziz Yusuf's research grant
Lead Researcher
Title
Dr
Firstname
Abdulaziz
Middlename
Yusuf
Surname
Atta
Phone
07063365325
Email
a@yahoo.com
Research Grant Details
Research Topic
Development of Zeolite Catalyst for Light Alkanes Aromatization
Benefit to Oil and Gas
Development of Zeolite Catalyst for Light Alkanes Aromatization
Research Duration
2
University
Ahmadu Bello University
Abstract
The project is focused on developing heterogeneous catalysts for the conversion of light alkanes to aromatics (BTX). The light alkanes of natural gas and petroleum gas could be converted using one-stop zeolite (ZSM-5) based catalysts that combine several steps to BTX; the three basic aromatics are important intermediates for the production of plastic, fibres, resins, dyestuffs, detergents and many household and industrial products. The addition of metals such as gallium (Ga), zinc (Zn), etc. enhances the production of the aromatics. However, Zn is known to be unstable at process operating temperature while Gas is expensive. Hence, this project focused on improving the stability of Zn enhanced ZSM-5 zeolite based catalysts by incorporating the metal into the framework structure of ZSM-5, increasing the mesopore (hierarchical) surface area, and addition of a stabilizing metal on the Zn/ZSM-5. The results obtained so far are very promising, innovative and novel. Hierarchical zeolites catalysts were produced via desilication of the framework silica at various concentration of alkaline (NaOH) treatment. The hierarchical Zn/ZSM-5 catalysts showed an outstanding stability when compared with the parent Zn/ZSM-5 within 5 hours time on stream for the conversion of light hydrocarbon to aromatics. The hierarchical Zn/ZSM-5 (0.1M NaOH treatment) catalyst yielded aromatics more than twice the parent Zn/ZSM-5 at 5 hours time on stream using a fixed bed reactor. The XRD and FTIR results shows that the framework structure of the Zn/ZSM-5 was not compromised despite alkaline treatment with the BET surface area analysis confirming the creation of mesoporous framework structure.
For the bimetallic Zn/ZSM-5 modified with Cu, Ni, Co and Fe, the Ni-Zn/ZSM-5 gave the best performance of sustained conversion of light hydrocarbon and aromatics selectivity of 55% and 85% respectively in a fixed bed reactor for 10 hours. This corresponds to about three times higher aromatics yield when compared to the parent Zn/ZSM-5. The Ni-Zn species with similar oxidation states in the Ni-Zn/ZSM-5 is speculated to increase the energy level thereby enhancing the stability of the light hydrocarbon conversion and aromatics selectivity.