Dehydration of methanol to dimethyl ether, ethylene and propylene over silica-doped sulfated zirconia

Abstract

Two types of catalyst samples were prepared, one sulfated zirconia and the other silica doped sulfated zirconia. The acidity tests indicate that sulfated zirconia doped with silica has higher concentration and strength of acidic catalyst sites than undoped sulfated zirconia. The acidic surface sites have been characterized using FTIR, NMR, pyridine adsorption, TPD, XRD and nitrogen adsorption. Doping with silica increased the concentration of surface Lewis and Brønsted acid sites and resulted in generation of proximate acid sites. The activity test indicates that doping sulfated zirconia with silica increases both the acidity and catalytic activity for liquid phase dehydration of methanol at 413-453 K. Methanol is sequentially dehydrated to dimethyl ether and ethylene over both catalysts. Significant amounts of propylene are also formed over the silica-doped catalyst, but not over the undoped catalyst.