| Abstract: | The dehydrocyclisation of n-octane to iso-octane, ethylbenzene and o-, m- and p-xylene was investigated on monofunctional (non-acidic) and bifunctional (acidic) Pt/Al2O3 catalyst in a microcatalytic reactor with hydrogen as carrier at 1.8 atm and 563–673 K. On bifunctional Pt/Al2O3, the total conversion of n-octane started from a high value and decreased with increasing temperature for all pulse sizes investigated. The primary product of n-octane conversion on acidic Pt/Al2O3 was iso-octane. The product yield-temperature profiles showed a large initial production of iso-octane which decreased to a minimum as the catalyst temperature increased due to its conversion to ethylbenzene and o-xylene. On non-acidic Pt/Al2O3, the total conversion of n-octane increased initially and then went through a maximum as the catalyst temperature increased. The primary products of the reaction were found to be ethylbenzene and o-xylene, indicative of the activity of the metal to effect these ring closure reactions. |
