Supported Heteropolyacids Catalysts for the Selective Hydrocracking and Isomerization of n-C16 to Produce Jet Fuel

Abstract In the process of two-stage hydrogenation from bio-oil to jet fuel, the selective cracking and isomerization of long-chain alkanes is the key step. The n-C16 was used as the model reactant to produce jet fuel and the supported metal-acid bifunctional HPA/MCM-41 catalyst was prepared. The acid strength and amount of the catalyst could be modified by adjusting the type (HPW, HSiW, HPMo) and loading of HPA. The highest yield of jet fuel (≈ 20 wt.%) was obtained over Pt/40 wt.% HPMo/MCM-41 (WHSV = 1 h-1), which possessed more B acid sites but few strong acid sites. Besides, it possesses a higher yield than the previous work and favorable catalytic stability of 100 h. It was further explored that the reaction path net of hydrocracking and isomerization of n-C16 was a cascade reaction from n-C16 to single-branched isomer, further to multi-branched isomer and then to the cracking product.