Catalytic cracking of palmitic acid provides a renewable method of obtaining valuable aromatic compounds that are otherwise sourced from petroleum. In this study, ZSM-5 was evaluated for chemical production in a reaction mixture of palmitic acid and water at conditions near the critical point of water. The effects of ZSM-5 versus a nano-scale version of the catalyst, varying water loading amounts, product distribution and time dependence, catalyst reuse, and reaction pathway were studied. Nano-scale ZSM-5 with 15 wt% water loading provided the best aromatic yield, which was nearly double the next best aromatic producing reaction conditions. Catalyst was used four times, with some activity loss observed between the first and second cycle, and retention of activity for subsequent cycles. Used catalysts were also characterized for crystallinity, surface area, and acid properties, all of which were consistent with reuse tests. Time studies and control experiments suggest cooperative effects between thermal and catalytic reaction pathways.

Creator

• Smolitsky, Philip

Contributors

• Timko, Michael T.
• Kazantzis, Nikolaos K.
• Teixeira, Andrew R
• Deskins, N Aaron

Degree

• MS

Unit

• Chemical Engineering

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• etd-27011

Advisor

• Timko, Michael T.

Committee

• Teixeira, Andrew
• Kazantzis, Nikolaos
• Deskins, N Aaron

Defense date

• 2021-08-05

Year

• 2021

Date created

• 2021-08-10

Resource type

• Thesis

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Last modified

• 2023-12-05