Influence of the size, order and topology of mesopores in bifunctional Pd-containing acidic SBA-15 and M41S catalysts for n-hexadecane hydrocracking

The catalytic performance in n-hexadecane hydrocracking of a set of bifunctional catalysts composed of acidic mesoporous silicas, i.e., SBA-15, MCM-41, MCM-48, and amorphous silica-alumina (ASA), and Pd as acid and (de)hydrogenation components, respectively, was investigated. The selectivity to cracked products and the occurrence of secondary cracking depended on the pore topology, acidity, and Pd dispersion. The Si/Al ratio and the mesopore order of SBA-15 were modified by changing the pH in the synthesis step. Al was introduced in the M41S materials by post-synthesis grafting. All materials including ASA exhibited low acidity compared to crystalline zeolites. Increasing Al content led to a decrease of the order of mesopores. Secondary cracking of n-hexadecane was more pronounced for catalysts containing long one-dimensional cylindrical pores (SBA-15 and MCM-41) in comparison with catalysts containing three-dimensional ordered (MCM-48) or disordered (ASA) mesopores. The selectivity difference is attributed to differences in residence time of intermediates in the mesopores. The distance between acid sites located in mesopores and Pd nanoparticles primarily located outside these pores also influences the product distribution. Ideal hydrocracking operation is approached for ASA, MCM-48, and SBA-15 prepared at a high pH containing disordered mesopores. •Pd/mesoporous silica (MCM-41, MCM-48, SBA-15 ASA) evaluated in n-C16 hydroconversion.•Cracked product contribution decreases with loss of mesopores.•Low Pd dispersion results in overcracking due to long poor residence time of olefins.•Well-ordered mesoporosity leads to more cracking than disordered mesoporosity.•Asymmetric cracked product distribution for all samples