Effect of ZnO and NiO Modified HZSM-5 Catalyst for Ethanol Conversion to Hydrocarbons

Abstract

A series of NiO/ZnO/HZSM-5 catalysts were prepared by impregnation method with varying ZnO loading ranging from 0-2 wt% and keeping 4 wt% NiO loading constant. It was found that the ZnO/NiO modified HZSM-5 catalyst was highly active and selective towards ethanol conversion to hydrocarbons at 410 °C, WHSV = 3.5 hr-1 and pressure = 1 atm. A comparison has been done to study conversion and yield of different wt% of ZnO/NiO over HZSM-5 catalyst. The performance of catalysts was evaluated by conducting experimental run in fixed bed reactor under identical conditions. The major products of the reaction were methane, ethylene, propylene, ethylmethyl ether, toluene, ethyl benzene, xylene, isopropyl benzene, ethyl toluene, and trimethyl benzene and tetra methylbenzene.