Design and Synthesis of a Novel Catalytic System Based on Pd Supported on Alumina Extrudates for Hydrotreating of PAO Lubricants

Abstract

The development of hydrogenation processes for polyalphaolefin (PAO) lubricants, which hold commercialization potential, is a challenging endeavor. Here, we synthesized and characterized rod-shaped γ-alumina supported Pd catalyst for PAO hydrofinishing, comparing it with γ-alumina supported Ni catalyst. Results indicated that Pd/Al2O3 catalyst efficiently promoted PAO hydrofinishing, whereas Ni-based catalyst exhibited lower activity. Optimization of reaction variables using the one-factor-at-a-time method revealed that hydrogenated polyalphaolefin could be achieved with a 90% yield using a 5 wt.% catalyst, a hydrogen pressure of 12 bar, at 130°C after 7 h. The superior performance of the fabricated catalysts, coupled with the use of rod-shaped alumina suitable for large-scale hydrogenation reactors, suggests the versatility of the process for potential commercialization. Additionally, the higher performance of Pd/alumina compared to Ni/alumina catalyst was computationally assessed at the molecular level using DFT methods