Catalyst

Characteristic Amberlyst 15 (Ion exchange ZSM-5 (zeolite)

resin)
Surface area Surface area of 42.5 sq. Surface area of 360 Langmuir
meter per gram. This m2/g[2]
catalyst had porous
structure[1].
Conversion A resin catalyst give high At 170C, the average
conversion rate but conversion of is 95%. [8]
unstable at high If alcohol is passed over these
temperature. catalyst at temperatures below
When, catalyst overheated 100C, extremely low
it will releases as sulfonic conversion is obtained.
and sulfuric acid. The acid The effective opening of the
leaching from resin pores considers the good for
surface that causes the diffusion of reactant molecule.
reverse reaction which is Due to lower acidity this
decomposition of ether catalyst this zeolites need to be
products[3]. operate at high temperature to
The methanol/isobutylene obtaining the higher yield of
ratio is higher that required MTBE[3].
recycle process [2].

Activity The catalytic activity The catalyst exhibit higher

depends on the acid activity.
capacity. The higher acid This catalyst is highly thermal
capacity the higher stability, and less sensitive to
catalytic activity[4]. ratio methanol/isobutylene and
Low thermal stability. the catalyst regeneration is
 easy.
Produce significant Produce less by product
amount of by-product because of the shape selectivity.
which reduce the yield of Stable under the extreme
MTBE[5]. conditions of operation [9]
Resin catalysts have long
lifetime and high
selectivity
Regeneration .
Resin they cannot be Zeolite catalysts can be
regenerated efficiently regenerated easily by simple
after deactivation due to calcination after deactivation
low thermal stability. [1] even the lifetime is short.[10]
The regeneration was
influence by oxidising The regeneration of metal
organic poisons with oxides catalyst more cost
HNO3. In addition, effective compared to the
inorganic impurity is purifying the contaminated acid
removed by treating with resin catalyst[3].
acid alkali solutions. The
catalyst will deactivate
after few cycles of
process[6]

Cost Very low running costs Higher cost

The regenerant chemicals
are cheap [7]

Lifetime If well maintained resin Long life[9]``

beds can last for many
 years before replacement
is needed.[2]

References:

1. KUNIN, R., et al., Characterization of amberlyst 15 macroreticular sulfonic acid cation exchange
resin. 1.
2. Le Van Mao, R., et al., Synthesis of methyl terbutyl ether (MTBE) over triflic acid loaded ZSM-5
and y zeolites. Catalysis Letters, 1990. 6(3): p. 321-330.
3. Harandi, M.N. and H. Owen, Ether production. 1991, Google Patents.
4. Harmer, M.A. and Q. Sun, Solid acid catalysis using ion-exchange resins. Applied Catalysis A:
General, 2001. 221(1): p. 45-62.
5. Van Mao, R.L., Superacidic catalysts for the synthesis of methyl-tert-butyl ether (MTBE). 1998,
Google Patents.
6. V.C., M. and S. E.S., Regeneration and reuse of cation-exchange resin catalyst used in alkylation
of phenol.

7. Figure 2f from: Irimia R, Gottschling M (2016) Taxonomic revision of Rochefortia Sw. (Ehretiaceae,
Boraginales). Biodiversity Data Journal 4: e7720. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.4.e7720. (n.d.). Ion
Exchange Resins . doi:10.3897/bdj.4.e7720.figure2f

8. Beran, S., Bolcha, J., Nedomov, K., & Wichterolov, B. (1984). Decomposition of methyl tert-butyl
ether on zeolites. Reaction Kinetics and Catalysis Letters, 26(3-4), 437-439. doi:10.1007/bf020678789.

9.U.S. Patent No. 5,001,292. (1989). Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

10. Yun, J. W., Jhung, S. H., & Chang, J. S. (2016). Http://ljournal.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/d-

2016-154.pdf. Trimerization of Isobutene over Solid Acid Catalysts: Comparison between Cation-
exchange Resin and Zeolite Catalysts. doi:10.18411/d-2016-154