Catalytic Cracking of n-Dodecane over Alkali-Metal-Modified ZSM-5 Zeolites

Abstract: The physicochemical properties of ZSM-5 zeolite samples modified with alkali metal cations (e.g., Li+, Na+, K+, and Cs+) were characterized. It was demonstrated that increasing the metal load led to a decrease in the textural properties of the zeolite such as specific surface area, total pore volume, and micropore volume; furthermore, it reduced the total concentration of acid sites by 23–25% (at 0.72 × 10–2 mol % potassium or 0.38 × 10–2 mol % cesium). In the cracking of n-dodecane, the modification of ZSM-5 with 2.34 × 10–2 mol% cesium enhanced the yield of light olefins up to 40.1 wt %, which is comparable with the value achieved by a phosphorus-based ZSM-5 sample (40.3 wt %). © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd. 2024.