Peculiarities of dehydroaromatization of CH4–C2H6 and CH4 over Mo/ZSM-5 catalysts

• Published in: Reaction kinetics and catalysis letters 2009-10, Vol.98 (1), p.59-67
• Main Authors: Matus, Ekaterina V., Sukhova, Olga B., Ismagilov, Ilyas Z., Tsikoza, Lidiya T., Ismagilov, Zinfer R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Catalysis; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Physical Chemistry
• ISSN: 0133-1736; 1588-2837
• DOI: 10.1007/s11144-009-0080-7

The peculiarities of dehydroaromatization (DHA) of a CH 4 –C 2 H 6 mixture over 1–10% Mo/ZSM-5 catalysts (Si/Al = 17, 30, 45) were studied in comparison with reactions of individual hydrocarbons. For a (90 vol.% CH 4  + 10 vol.% Ar) mixture, the methane conversion passes through a maximum and decreases with the time-on-stream, being about 12% after 6 h. Experiments with a mixture (85 vol.% CH 4  + 5 vol.% C 2 H 6  + 10 vol.% Ar) demonstrated that the presence of ethane leads to the suppression of the methane conversion practically to zero and to an increase in the benzene formation rate in comparison with the (CH 4  + Ar) mixture. Characterization of the spent Mo/ZSM-5 catalysts by DTA and TGA showed that both the condensation degree of the carbonaceous deposits (C/H ratio) and their content are higher in the presence of ethane. For both feed compositions, the maximal benzene formation rate was observed over the catalyst with 2 wt% Mo and Si/Al = 17. It is proposed that the formation of C2 intermediates from methane and their further transformations in DHA compete with the ethane aromatization, presumably on the same Mo active sites.