Steering the Metal Precursor Location in Pd/Zeotype Catalysts and Its Implications for Catalysis
Luc C. J. Smulders,
Johan H. van de Minkelis,
Johannes D. Meeldijk,
Min Tang,
Anna Liutkova,
Kang Cheng,
S. Tegan Roberts,
Glenn J. Sunley,
Emiel J. M. Hensen,
Petra E. de Jongh,
Krijn P. de Jong
Affiliations
Luc C. J. Smulders
Materials Chemistry and Catalysis, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
Johan H. van de Minkelis
Materials Chemistry and Catalysis, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
Johannes D. Meeldijk
Materials Chemistry and Catalysis, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
Min Tang
Materials Chemistry and Catalysis, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
Anna Liutkova
Laboratory for Inorganic Materials and Catalysis, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Kang Cheng
Materials Chemistry and Catalysis, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
S. Tegan Roberts
Applied Sciences, bp Innovation & Engineering, BP plc, Saltend, Hull HU12 8DS, UK
Glenn J. Sunley
Applied Sciences, bp Innovation & Engineering, BP plc, Saltend, Hull HU12 8DS, UK
Emiel J. M. Hensen
Laboratory for Inorganic Materials and Catalysis, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Petra E. de Jongh
Materials Chemistry and Catalysis, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
Krijn P. de Jong
Materials Chemistry and Catalysis, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
Bifunctional catalysts containing a dehydrogenation–hydrogenation function and an acidic function are widely applied for the hydroconversion of hydrocarbon feedstocks obtained from both fossil and renewable resources. It is well known that the distance between the two functionalities is important for the performance of the catalyst. In this study, we show that the heat treatment of the catalyst precursor can be used to steer the location of the Pd precursor with respect to the acid sites in SAPO-11 and ZSM-22 zeotype materials when ions are exchanged with Pd(NH3)4(NO3)2. Two sets of catalysts were prepared based on composite materials of alumina with either SAPO-11 or ZSM-22. Pd was placed on/in the zeotype, followed by a calcination-reduction (CR) or direct reduction (DR) treatment. Furthermore, catalysts with Pd on the alumina binder were prepared. CR results in having more Pd nanoparticles inside the zeotype crystals, whereas DR yields more particles on the outer surface of the zeotype crystals as is confirmed using HAADF-STEM and XPS measurements. The catalytic performance in both n-heptane and n-hexadecane hydroconversion of the catalysts shows that having the Pd nanoparticles on the alumina binder is most beneficial for maximizing the isomer yields. Pd-on-zeotype catalysts prepared using the DR approach show intermediate performances, outperforming their Pd-in-zeotype counterparts that were prepared with the CR approach.
