Metal carbide as a potential non noble metal catalyst for naphtha reforming

Abstract In petroleum refining, continuous catalytic reforming of heavy naphtha is an important process to produce high value products such as hydrogen and aromatics from the low-value feedstock. Pt-Sn supported on chlorinated alumina is an accepted catalyst over last seven decades. However, use of expensive noble metals and corrosion due to halogen leaching are major issues associated with this catalyst. Such problems can be addressed by replacing the precious Pt metal with equally active and a stable non-precious metal catalytic material over suitable non-chlorinated solid acidic supports. In the present study Fe5C2, WC, Fe2W2C, Mo2C carbide materials have been explored as alternatives to Pt and these materials have been synthesized by solid-state temperature-programmed reaction and supported on different zeolites for imparting acidic function to the catalyst. Screening of these catalyst combinations for heavy naphtha reforming under suitable reaction conditions shows that, Mo2C supported on HY zeolite is found to be an active catalyst compared to any other carbide and zeolite combinations, with product aromatics in the range of 50 wt%, RON of 96, while maintaining reformate yields around 91 wt%.