Hydroconversion of n-hexadecane over bifunctional microporous andmesoporous model catalysts. Influence of pore architecture on selectivity

International audienceA model hydrocracking catalyst with a narrow and homogeneous distribution of mesopores of 3.2 nm ofdiameter has been prepared by alumination of the surface of a siliceous MCM-48 material, loaded withplatinum and evaluated in the hydroconversion of n-hexadecane. Compared to zeolite catalysts featuringa similar acidity but containing both micropores and mesopores, the Pt/Al-MCM-48 catalyst leads to thesame overall activity but with higher hexadecane isomer yields and a symmetrical repartition of thecracked products, typical for primary central cracking, even at very high conversion levels. It is suggestedthat the unique behavior of the model Pt/Al-MCM-48 mesoporous hydroconversion catalyst is due tooptimal sorption energetics of the primary reaction products in the network of uniformly distributedmesopore