Platinum and Molybdenum Oxide Supported on Mesostructured Silica Nanoparticles for n-Pentane and Cyclohexane Isomerization

Alkane isomerization into its equivalent branched isomers has gained numerous attention as a reaction to obtain high quality fuel. In this study, platinum and molybdenum oxide supported on mesostructured silica nanoparticles (Pt/MoO3/MSN) was prepared via impregnation method and tested for n-pentane and cyclohexane isomerization. The catalyst was characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen (N2) physisorption, and pyridine Fourier-transform infrared (pyridine-FTIR) spectroscopy. The IR result revealed that the addition of Pt and MoO3 into MSN formed different strength of Lewis and Brönsted acid sites. It was observed that the catalyst possessed strong acid sites and several numbers of relatively weak Lewis and Brönsted acid sites. Pt/MoO3/MSN was catalytically active towards n-pentane and cyclohexane isomerization with conversion of 63 and 87%, respectively, at 300 °C. It was proposed that the addition of Pt might assist the generation of active protonic acid sites from molecular hydrogen via the mechanism of hydrogen spillover and hence improve isomerization reaction.