The effect of Ga and Zn over HZSM-5 on the transformation of palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD) to aromatics

• The reaction pathway of converting PFAD to aromatics was proposed.
• The promotion of both Ga and Zn in HZSM-5 resulted in higher aromatics yield.
• Zn/HZSM-5 exhibited superior activity due to the presence of two Zn species.

The catalytic conversion of PFAD (palm fatty acid distillate) to aromatics has been studied over HZSM-5, Ga/HZSM-5, and Zn/HZSM-5 catalysts. The presence of both Ga and Zn promoted the aromatization of PFAD. The higher aromatics yield of Zn/HZSM-5 was achieved by the presence of two zinc species; exchanged Zn2 + promoting the dehydrogenation of paraffins and ZnO promoting the decarboxylation of oxygenates. The shifting from decarbonylation over the Brønsted acid site of the parent HZSM-5 to decarboxylation over ZnO preserved the Brønsted acid site for aromatization, thus increasing the aromatics yield.

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