On the stability of conventional and nano-structured carbon-based catalysts in the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene under industrially relevant conditions

Valeriya Zarubina, Hesamoddin Talebi, Christian Nederlof, Freek Kapteijn, Michiel Makkee, Ignacio Melián-Cabrera*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Relevant carbon-based materials, home-made carbon-silica hybrids, commercial activated carbon, and nanostructured multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) were tested in the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene (EB). Special attention was given to the reaction conditions, using a relatively concentrated EB feed (10 vol.% EB), and limited excess of O2 (O 2:EB = 0.6) in order to work at full oxygen conversion and consequently avoid O2 in the downstream processing and recycle streams. The temperature was varied between 425 and 475 °C, that is about 150-200 °C lower than that of the commercial steam dehydrogenation process. The stability was evaluated from runs of 60 h time on stream. Under the applied reactions conditions, all the carbon-based materials are apparently stable in the first 15 h time on stream. The effect of the gasification/burning was significantly visible only after this period where most of them fully decomposes. The carbon of the hybrids decomposes completely rendering the silica matrix and the activated carbon bed is fully consumed. Nano structured MWCNT is the most stable; the structure resists the demanding reaction conditions showing an EB conversion of ∼30% (but deactivating) with a steady selectivity of ∼80%. The catalyst stability under the ODH reaction conditions is predicted from the combustion apparent activation energies.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)329-340
Number of pages12
JournalCarbon
Volume77
Early online date29 May 2014
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2014

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'On the stability of conventional and nano-structured carbon-based catalysts in the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene under industrially relevant conditions'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this