Kinetics of n-hexane cracking over ZSM-5 zeolites – Effect of crystal size on effectiveness factor and catalyst lifetime

Abstract The catalytic cracking of n -hexane over ZSM-5 zeolite (MFI-type zeolite, Si/Al = 150 and 240) catalysts was examined at reaction temperatures ranging from 823 to 923 K under atmospheric pressure. The reaction rate constants and activation energies of n -hexane cracking over ZSM-5 zeolites with various crystal sizes and Si/Al ratios were evaluated. The catalytic cracking of n -hexane was first order with respect to the n -hexane concentration, and the activation energies of n -hexane cracking over ZSM-5 zeolites were found to be approximately 123–128 kJ mol −1 . Compared with the macro-sized zeolite, the nano-sized zeolites exhibited high n -hexane conversion with stable activity for 50 h. This is because the cracking reaction with nano-sized zeolite proceeded under reaction-limiting conditions, whereas the reaction with macro-sized zeolite proceeded under transition conditions between reaction- and diffusion-limiting conditions. As a result, the application of nano-zeolite to the catalytic cracking of n -hexane was effective and gave light olefins with high yield and excellent stable activity.