Catalytic hydrocracking of bitumen at mild experimental condition

Mo-containing catalysts were prepared by impregnation method using silica-based porous supports and their physical properties were characterized by BET, XRD and TEM. Catalytic hydrocracking of bitumen extracted from oil sand was carried out in a high pressure reactor using Athabasca oil sand over 5 wt% Mo containing catalyst supported on SiO₂, MCF(Meso Cellular Foam) and SBA-15, respectively, under the conditions of 200 °C, 20 h and 10 atm of H₂ gas. Catalytic hydrocracking activity was estimated by analyzing H/C mole ratio based on EA data, and TGA was employed to compare the thermal behavior of bitumen before and after reaction. Upon hydrocracking over Mo/MCF catalyst, H/C was increased from 1.50 (bitumen itself) to 1.66.