Propane hydrogenolysis on sulfur- and copper-modified nickel catalysts

Journal Article · Tue Apr 25 04:00:00 EDT 2000 · Journal of Catalysis

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1006/jcat.1999.2812· OSTI ID:20030522

Alstrup, I; Petersen, U E; Rostrup-Nielsen, J R

The rates and selectivity of propane hydrogenolysis on Ni/MgAl{sub 2}O{sub 4} catalysts modified by preadsorbed sulfur and on Ni/SiO{sub 2} catalysts modified by copper alloying have been measured. On both types of catalysts, the rate of ethane production goes through a maximum at high temperatures. For the NiCu/SiO{sub 2} catalysts, this behavior correlates with the onset of secondary hydrogenolysis of ethane, but not for the sulfur-modified Ni/MgAl{sub 2}O{sub 4} catalysts. The selectivity for ethane formation on Ni/MgAl{sub 2}O{sub 4} catalysts was higher with sulfur than without, but a decreasing function of sulfur at high coverage. The selectivity on NiCu/SiO{sub 2} catalysts was found to increase monotonically with the copper content. Comparisons with a previous propane hydrogenolysis study on nickel-copper catalysts with very different surface properties reveal surprising agreements. The NiCu/SiO{sub 2} catalysts have been shown to be strongly enriched in copper in the surface of the alloy particles after reduction. This is similar to previous results for unsupported NiCu catalysts but in contrast to the NiCu/SiO{sub 2} catalysts used by Dalmon and Martin reported to have bulk composition also in the surface after reduction. The hydrogenolysis results of the two NiCu/SiO{sub 2} catalyst studies are, nevertheless, in close agreement, but deviate strongly from the hydrogenolysis results for the unsupported NiCu particles. It is difficult to reconcile the various hydrogenolysis results with simple ensemble models. It is suggested that special sites may dominate hydrogenolysis activity on nickel catalysts.

• Research Organization: Haldor Topsoee Research Labs., Lyngby (DK)
• OSTI ID: 20030522
• Journal Information: Journal of Catalysis, Journal Name: Journal of Catalysis Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 191; ISSN 0021-9517; ISSN JCTLA5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
CHEMICAL REACTION YIELD
COPPER
DECOMPOSITION
DEHYDROGENATION
ETHANE
NICKEL
PROPANE
SULFUR