Yttrium Oxide Supported La2O3 Nanomaterials for Catalytic Oxidative Cracking of n-Propane to Olefins

• Published in: Catalysis letters 2020, Vol.150 (1), p.185-195
• Main Authors: Al-Sultan, Fawaz S., Basahel, Sulaiman N., Narasimharao, Katabathini
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alkenes; Catalysis; Catalysts; Catalytic activity; Catalytic cracking; Chemical analysis; Chemical synthesis; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Conversion; Deactivation; Ethane; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Infrared analysis; Lanthanum oxides; Lewis acid; Nanomaterials; Nanorods; Organometallic Chemistry; Physical Chemistry; Propane; Rare earth elements; Selectivity; Strong interactions (field theory); Sulfation; X ray photoelectron spectroscopy; Yttrium oxide
• ISSN: 1011-372X; 1572-879X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10562-019-02927-z

La 2 O 3 nanorods were prepared by simple hydrothermal synthesis method. Yttrium oxide (1, 3, 5 and 7 wt%) supported La 2 O 3 and SO 4 2− incorporated La 2 O 3 nanorods were prepared impregnation method and used as catalysts in oxidative cracking of n -propane. The pure La 2 O 3 nanorods exhibited 15% n -propane conversion with 22% olefins (ethane and propene) selectivity. Considerable improvement in n -propane conversion was observed in case of 3 wt% yttrium oxide supported on La 2 O 3 nanorods (25% conversion of n -propane and 36% selectivity to olefins) at reaction temperature of 550 °C. Interestingly, 5 wt% yttrium oxide supported 10 wt% SO 4 2− /La 2 O 3 nanorod sample exhibited superior performance in n -propane conversion (42%) and olefins selectivity (54%). The yttrium oxide loading and sulfation of La 2 O 3 nanorods influenced the catalytic activity. The characterization of synthesized nanomaterials was performed using elemental analysis, XRD, FT-IR, N 2 -physisorption, SEM, XPS and H 2 -TPR techniques. The obtained results indicated that yttrium oxide was highly dispersed over the La 2 O 3 nanorods because of strong interaction between the two rare earth metal oxides. Additionally, deposition of yttrium oxide to sulfated La 2 O 3 nanorods increased the surface area and the amount of Lewis acid sites (for the activation of n -propane) on La 2 O 3 nanorods. Yttrium oxide supported sulfated La 2 O 3 catalyst showed no deactivation during the 24 h of reaction and without coke formation. Graphic Abstract