1-Hexene Isomerization Over Nano-crystalline Zeolite Beta: Effects of Metal and Carrier Gases on Catalytic Performance

Zeolite Beta crystals in nanometer size (about 44 nm) were hydrothermally synthesized and its catalytic activities with and without Pt impregnation were studied for 1-hexene isomerization in presence of different carrier gases, namely, hydrogen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide and also in the absence of carrier gas at reaction temperatures of 473-573 K and 0.1 MPa. General observation for all the cases was that with reaction temperature, hexene conversion increased, however, total isomer selectivity dropped. With temperature skeletal isomerization increased at the cost of double bond shift isomerization. Observed product distribution has been explained on the basis of zeolite structure and crystal size. Catalyst performed better in nitrogen than in hydrogen or carbon dioxide as carrier gas. Nevertheless, catalyst life was shorter with nitrogen as carrier gas than that with hydrogen.