Chemical composition optimization and characterization of the NiO/B2O3-Al2O3 system as a catalyst for ethylene oligomerization

The samples of the NiO/B 2 O 3 -Al 2 O 3 system with NiO contents from 0.48 to 38.30 wt % were synthesized by the impregnation of borate-containing alumina (20 wt % B 2 O 3 ). It was found that nickel oxide occurred in an X-ray amorphous state in the samples containing to 23.20 wt % NiO. At a NiO content of 4.86 wt % or higher, the support was blocked by the modifier to cause a decrease in the specific surface area from 234 to 176 m 2 /g and in the amount of acid sites from 409–424 to 333 μmol/g. An extremal character of the dependence of catalyst activity in ethylene oligomerization on NiO content was found with a maximum in the range of 4.86–9.31 wt %. Based on spectroscopic data, it was found that ethylene activation on the NiO/B 2 O 3 -Al 2 O 3 catalyst can be associated with the presence of Ni 2+ cations, which chemically interact with the support. The catalyst containing 4.86 wt % NiO at 200°C, a pressure of 4 MPa, and an ethylene supply rate of 1.1 h −1 provided almost complete ethylene conversion at the yield of liquid oligomerization products to 90.0 wt %; the total concentration of C 8+ alkenes in these products was 89.0 wt %.