Improved protocol for optimizing Mo/ZSM-5 catalyst for methane aromatization

A systematic DoE approach is developed to optimize Mo-based ZSM-5 catalyst recipe for methane dehydro-aromatization process. Aim is to achieve maximum benzene productivity with improve catalyst stability. Three major factors - Si/Al ratio of ZSM-5, pH of Mo incorporation and catalyst activation along with two different responses - benzene yield and final/peak methane conversion (or in other words the extent of catalyst stability) were considered for constructing the DoE. The benzene yield and final/peak methane conversion vary significantly depending on the catalyst recipe including the catalyst activation protocol/conditions. The combination of Si/Al ratio of 15, pH of Mo incorporation 10 and control catalyst activation by pre-carburization identified through DoE helped to achieve maximum/optimum benzene yield and the catalyst stability. Moderate acidity of zeolite, high Mo dispersion and presence of higher quantity of catalytically active Mo-carbide/oxycarbide species seems to be the reason for high benzene productivity and catalyst stability.