(400b) From Discovery to Deployment of an Aromatic Transalkylation Catalyst

Transalkylation of toluene and C9+ aromatics to produce mixed xylenes is a key technology in modern aromatic complexes. An effective catalyst needs to balance acid function and metal function to achieve optimal performance. Challenging performance targets were set for a next generation catalyst, including increased activity, decreased ring loss and extended cycle length. In this work, we show how researchers took a zeolite discovery through development of a catalyst which was ultimately commercially deployed. The team was able to combine catalyst formulation fundamentals with high throughput testing and data driven tools to rapidly optimize a very broad formulation space. Over 120 unique catalyst formulations, spanning collectively a broad range of variables include zeolite type/combination, metal promoters, zeolite to binder ratios and methods of formulation/synthesis. The resultant catalyst lead was successfully scaled from the 100 gram lab scale to tens of thousands of pounds. In parallel, process experts put the catalyst through its paces to confirm the performance benefits and bring the catalyst to technical readiness and ultimately commercialization and deployment.