Transalkylation of heavy aromatics over novel catalysts

The conversion of heavy reformate to high-value xylenes by transalkylation process is fast becoming an essential part of modern integrated refinery-petrochemical complex. The ... overall objective of the proposed study is to develop a novel approach to synthesize suitable catalyst formulations for transalkylation of heavy reformate. The proposed study will adopt a novel approach to synthesize new catalytic materials involving mesostructured derivatives together with improved acidity. The design and tuning strategies for the catalysts will involve confinement of active species in mesoporous materials, tuning the active phase and support compositions, interfacial modulation and controlled treatment. Further, improvement in the catalytic performance is achieved by incorporating a metal function.