Binder Selection to Modify Hydrocarbon Cracking Properties of Zeolite-Containing Composites

Activity, selectivity, and deactivation behavior of catalyst materials determine their efficiency in hydrocarbon conversion processes. For hydrocarbon cracking, the industrial catalyst is an important parameter in reaction technology to produce valuable compounds, e.g., light olefins (C₃-C₅) and gasoline from crude oil fractions with high molecular weight (C₁₆₊). One strategy to enhance the catalytic activity for precracking is increasing the matrix activity, which depends on the used binder and additives. In this work, three binders (water glass, aluminum chloride, and a mixture of colloidal silica with aluminum dihydrogen phosphate) were used in combination with active zeolite Y, kaolin as filler, and ZSM-5 as additive to produce composite materials. Specific surface area and surface acidity measurements were combined with catalytic testing of the formulated samples in order to find the relation between the catalyst morphology and its activity. In addition, constraint index was used as a control parameter for the determination of the shape-selective properties and their correlation with the catalytic activity. The results show that the binders determine the porosity of the matrix and so the accessibility to zeolite pores and active sites. Matrixes with low porosity and activity enhance coke production and deactivate faster than matrixes with mesopores. Furthermore, ZSM-5 modifies the individual morphological and catalytic effects of the binders. Everything considered, the small crystals of ZSM-5 together with mesopores increase the olefins yield, reduce coking, and therefore enhance the performance of the final grain.