ZSM-5 has been investigated for promoting conversion of palmitic acid to aromatics in the presence of a supercritical water phase at concentrations lower than previously studied. The rate of palmitic acid decomposition is roughly 50× greater than comparable previous reports. The catalyst was reused four times with modest activity loss after the first cycle and negligible loss for all subsequent cycles. Post-reaction characterization of ZSM-5 revealed less degradation than previously reported. Time studies and control experiments in the absence of catalyst were used to elucidate the thermal and catalytic contributions to the product distribution. The current study opens new avenues for catalytic upgrading of renewable oils in the presence of supercritical water.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Page, Jeffrey Robert
• Esposito, Joseph
• TheBerge, Douglas
• Smolitsky, Philip

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-050820-164510

Advisor

• Timko, Michael T.

Year

• 2020

Date created

• 2020-05-08

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Chemical Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright