Development of nanostructured catalytic membranes for partial benzene hydrogenation to cyclohexene

Novel nanostructured catalytic membranes (NCMs) have been prepared by ruthenium deposition (Ru(3)(CO)(12) wet-impregnation) within the porous framework of different tubular porous supports modified and unmodified with microporous glassy-carbon (GC) material. The aim of this work is to investigate the influence of the transport mechanism, layer distribution, textural properties, surface composition and metallic phase distribution of each type of NCMs on the partial benzene hydrogenation to cyclohexene performance in gas phase, operating under through-flow mode in a membrane reactor. Two types of glass (Vycor (R)) and ceramic (Cordierite-Alumina) supports with different layer distribution, have been used to prepared the NCMs. The modified and unmodified with GC membranes have been characterised by gas permeability measurements. High resolution-scanning electron microscopy (HR-SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) have been realised to evidence GC deposition and to analyse the ruthenium nanoparticles distribution along the porous membranes section, respectively. An attempt to correlate the membrane characterization results and the catalytic results has been carried out.