U.S.-Argentina Cooperative Research: Catalytic Activation of Lower Alkanes: Dehydrogenation and Alkylation Reactions

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This U. S.-Argentina Cooperative Science Award supports travel expenses and some expendable research supplies related to the visits of Drs. D. Resasco, Univ. of Oklahoma, Norman, OK and G. Larsen, U. of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE to Argentina. The purpose of the visits is to perform research on the activation of lower alkanes to produce olefins, oxygenates and higher hydrocarbons. The Argentine co-P.I. is Dr. J. Parera, of INCAPE, Universidad Nacional del Litoral . Dr. A. J. Rouco, Universidad del Sur, Bahia Blanca, will also be involved in the research. The project consists of two parts. The first will deal with the dehydrogenation of lower alkanes over Pt- based catalysts. The research will attempt to demonstrate that the addition of promoters alters the surface concentration of H under certain reaction conditions. The effect of the alteration on the activation and stability of alkane dehydrogenation catalysts will be investigated, and the catalytic materials will be fully characterized. The second part of the project will examine the activation of alkanes over solid superacid catalysts. Several reactions, such as methane-olefin alkylation isobutene-isobutylene alkylation and n-butane isomerization will be studied. The effects of Mn and Fe as promoters for the catalytic activity of sulfated zirconia will be investigated. The research will attempt to determine whether such promotion results in highly active acid materials able to convert methane at low temperatures. The effects of Pt and Sn as promoters for improving the life of the catalyst will also be investigated. The research will focus on elucidating deactivation mechanisms, and on determining whether the presence of Pt and Sn modifies the nature and rate of coke formation. Such promotion may result in a catalyst with a very high activity and, in consequence, able to operate at relatively low temperatures at which equilibrium conversions are high.