The Synthesis of a Pt/SAPO-11 Composite with Trace Pt Loading and Its Catalytic Application in n-Heptane Hydroisomerization

Abstract

n-Alkane hydroisomerization over bifunctional catalysts is an effective approach for clean fuel production. However, achieving metal–acid synergy and enhancing the catalytic performance by the preparation of bifunctional catalysts with suitable proximity between the metal sites and Brønsted acid sites are still challenging. In this work, a series of Pt/SAPO-11 catalysts with different Pt loading applied in n-heptane hydroisomerization was synthesized. SAPO-11 was synthesized by the Instant Exactness Synthesis (IES) method, which, with unique morphology and pore structure, was chosen as support for the hydroisomerization catalysts; Pt/SAPO-11 was synthesized with the impregnation method, Pt nanoclusters with trace loading were fabricated over the SAPO-11 support, and the as-synthesized catalysts with different Pt loading were labeled as xPt/SAPO-11 (x = 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.8 and 1.0). Various characterizations, including XRD, nitrogen adsorption–desorption, SEM, TEM, NH3-TPD and XPS, were carried out on catalysts to obtain deep insights into the microstructure and valence states of xPt/SAPO-11. The catalytic performance of xPt/SAPO-11, including catalytic selectivity and conversion, was investigated in the n-heptane hydroisomerization in detail. Pt loading affected the catalytic properties of xPt/SAPO-11 in the hydroisomerization of n-heptane. The selectivity of 0.5Pt/SAPO-11 toward isomers was about 65% with a conversion of 77% at 310 °C, which was obviously higher than other xPt/SAPO-11 catalysts.