Methane and propane co-conversion study over zinc, molybdenum and gallium modified HZSM-5 catalysts using time-of-flight mass-spectrometry

Co-conversion of methane and propane (CMP) over Zn-, Mo- and Ga-modified HZSM-5 catalysts has been studied under supersonic jet expansion condition at 400 °C and the products were detected using a time-of-flight mass-spectrometer. The major products obtained in the CMP are aromatic hydrocarbons: benzene, toluene, xylene, C9H8, naphthalene and methyl-naphthalene. A comparison of the CMP with methane dehydroaromatization reaction indicated that not only methane participated in the CMP reaction below 600 °C, but also methane activation and conversion on Lewis acid sites of the catalysts involved the methylation of aromatic hydrocarbons produced from propane dehydroaromatization.