Studies on platinum-promoted sulfated zirconia alumina: effects of pretreatment environment and carrier gas on n-butane isomerization and benzene alkylation activities

A series of platinum-promoted sulfated zirconia alumina catalysts (SZA) with different amounts of platinum (0.5, 1, and 2 wt%) were synthesized. Two other catalysts were prepared by mechanically mixing different proportions of the Al-promoted sulfated zirconia with Pt/Al(2)O(3). The 650 degrees C calcined catalysts were characterized by N(2) adsorption/desorption (BET), TPR, and TPD analysis. Butane isomerization activity of the catalysts was studied at 270 degrees C, varying the pretreatment environment and carrier gases. Though the textural properties of the catalysts did not change significantly with platinum loading, the maximum surface area of 116 m(2)/g was exhibited by the catalyst with 1 wt% Pt loading. Under the studied reaction conditions, the air-pretreated catalysts (sulfated zirconia alumina (SZA) and platinated SZA) showed higher n-butane conversion than the N(2)-pretreated catalyst. However, nitrogen was a better carrier gas than H(2), CO(2) or air, and CO(2) and air deactivated the catalyst very fast. Unlike the platinated SZA catalysts, the mechanically mixed catalysts showed an induction phenomenon. A redox mechanism is suggested for butane isomerization over these catalysts. The catalyst SZA was also found to be active for alkylation of benzene with isopropanol, which gave 93% selectivity toward cumene.