Methanol assisted methane conversion for higher hydrocarbon over bifunctional Zn-modified Mo/HZSM-5 catalyst

• Novel Zn-Mo/HZSM-5 catalyst was prepared for methane conversion with methanol.
• The change in textural properties, and product selectivity, were investigated with Zn addition.
• Incorporation of Zn increased the conversion and aromatic selectivity.

The co-conversion of methane with methanol was studied over Mo/H-ZSM-5 and Zn–Mo/H-ZSM-5 catalysts prepared by the wet impregnation method. The catalysts were calcined at 550 °C followed by reduction at 450 °C for 5 h. The activity tests were carried out at three different temperature viz. 550, 600, and 650 °C. BET, BJH pore volume distribution, H2-TPR, NH3-TPD, FTIR, SEM–EDX, TEM, and XRD techniques were used for the characterization of the pre-reduced catalyst. Incorporation of 2% Zn on to 5% Mo/H-ZSM-5 catalyst significantly improved the activity of the catalyst for methane conversion. Thermodynamic studies revealed that temperature below 600 °C, methane aromatization is not possible, however, in the presence of methanol over bifunctional catalyst it becomes thermodynamic feasible (ΔG = −8.8, −15.5, and −22.2 kJ/mol at 400, 500, and 600 °C). The main products of the reaction were ethylene, ethane, propane, butane butylenes and aromatics such as benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylene. Selectivity of alkylated aromatic product enhance in the presence of methanol.

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