Papers by Author: José Aarón Melo-Banda

Abstract: The present work, the HPA Keggin structure was supported on four different MCM phase types (hexagonal, spherical, elliptical, and cubic); their catalytic properties were tested in the alkylation of benzene with propylene in order to produce cumene. In the reaction, parameters like propylene flow, reaction temperature, phase type, as well as WHSV-1, HPA, and Cs content in the best MCM phase support were studied. The results showed that the MCM-48 with (30 wt. % HPA) catalyst had the best behavior in catalytic activity, showing the higher conversion and selectivity toward cumene as the main product.

Abstract: Pure zirconia, sulfated zirconia and sulfated zirconia modified with 2, 3, 5 and 10 wt. % of cerium oxide were synthesized by sol-gel method. Pt phase was impregnated on the supports using the incipient wet technique. Sulfated zirconium oxide showed tetragonal phase only. Addition of cerium to sulfated zirconia did not modify the tetragonal phase but produced a marked effect on the surface area. Low cerium content may greatly increase the surface area; however, too high cerium content (10 wt.%) may decrease the surface area. Pore size had influence on the catalytic activity and ZrO2 acidity was favored by the sulfate ion incorporation. All catalysts having Brönsted and Lewis acid sites were active in the n-hexane isomerization. The highest n-hexane conversion (40%) and selectivity towards DMB (26%), 2-methyl pentane (61%) and 3-methyl pentane (13%) were reached over the catalyst with 10 wt. % cerium oxide. In addition, sulfated zirconium oxide presented high selectivity of light products (< C6), which indicated that the addition of this doping agent (CeO2) made the catalysts more selective toward the desired reaction products.

Abstract: In this paper, the incorporation of carbide and nitride phases supported on mesoporous materials like SBA type is described in order to obtain a better material than commercial catalysts (NiMoS/Al2O3, Sg=269 m2.gr-1) specifically in the HDS of dibenzothiophene. The XRD patterns exhibit the presence of carbide and nitride phases in each series, respectively. In the nitride materials, the presence of oxide phases was more evident than in the carbide catalysts. The principal product was biphenyl (BF) for all the analyzed series. This behavior suggests that the DBT desulphurization pathway for the carbide materials was similar to that of sulfide catalysts. Bicyclohexyl (BCH) was analyzed as a product, and cyclohexylbenzene traces (CHB) were determined in a single catalyst (NiMoC-2%P/SBA-16). This was attributed to the hydrogenation character of carbide catalyst reported previously.