Highly-efficient heterogeneous catalysts for hydroisomerization of hexadecane

In this study, acidic heterogeneous catalysts will be synthesized with different Si/Al ratios, framework structures (3D vs. 2D structure) to improve the iso-alkane selectivity in hydroisomerization (HI) of n-hexadecane (C16). The synthesized materials will be characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption-desorption, NH3-temperature-programm desorption (NH3-TPD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), pyridine diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (Py-DRIFT), and energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF). The synthesized materials will be loaded with Ni and then tested for catalytic performance in hexadecane’s HI reaction in a continuous fixed-bed reactor.