Deactivation of ferrierite during the 1-butene skeletal isomerization

The influence of temperature, 1-butene partial pressure, weight hourly space velocity (WHSV), and pretreatment conditions on the activity, selectivity and stability of ferrierite during the 1-butene skeletal isomerization has been studied in order to understand the process of coke formation. Coke is characterized by temperature-programmed oxidation (TPO) and Fourier transform-infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRIFTS). The catalytic behavior is strongly affected by the intrinsic properties of the zeolite, showing a significant deactivation associated with coke formation. The operational conditions, such as temperature, 1-butene partial pressure and WHSV, play an important role in the amount of coke produced, the temperature being the most important factor affecting the amount of coke. These conditions also modify the nature of the coke. A significant fraction of coke burns at temperature higher than 600 degrees C.