The role of Praseodymium oxide-Impregnated Clinoptilolite Zeolite Catalyst to Increase Octane Number in Gasoline

In the present work, the role of praseodymium oxide as a promotor of active site in zeolite base as catalyst for increasing the octance number in gasoline were investigated. In this study, we used three types of catalyst, namely the activated clipnotilolite zeolite (catalyst 1), Pr6O11-impregnated clinoptilolite zeolite 0.01 (w/w%) (catalyst 2) and Pr6O11-impregnated clinoptilolite zeolite 0.1 (w/w%) (catalyst 3). Both catalyst 2 and 3 were prepared by impregnation method. The calcination temperature for all of catalysts was set at 500°C for 2 hours to remove the organic impurities and stabilize the structure of catalyst. The Si/Al ratio increased from 5.1 to 5.85 with prasedymium nitrate hexahydrate percentage in catalysts 2 and 3 were 0.14 and 0.05%, respectively. The surface area of catalysts 1 - 3 are 19.42, 18.09 and 15.22 m2/g, respectively. The activity performance of catalyst 3 with 1 and 3 % loading at 27.7°C for 2 min have increased the octane number of 0.1. Increasing octane number of 0.1 was also confirmed by GC-MS data which showed the presence of decreasing C4-C11 hydrocarbon compounds and increasing of aromatic compounds. Pr6O11-impregnated clinoptilolite zeolite catalyst is potential for application in fuel system to increase octane number at room temperature (27.7°C).