X‐ray Fluorescence Tomography of Aged Fluid‐Catalytic‐Cracking Catalyst Particles Reveals Insight into Metal Deposition Processes

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Abstract
Microprobe X‐ray fluorescence tomography was used to investigate metal poison deposition in individual, intact and industrially deactivated fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) particles at two differing catalytic life‐stages. 3 D multi‐element imaging, at submicron resolution was achieved by using a large‐array Maia fluorescence detector. Our results show that Fe, Ni and Ca have significant concentration at the exterior of the FCC catalyst particle and are highly co‐localized. As concentrations increase as a function of catalytic life‐stage, the deposition profiles of Fe, Ni, and Ca do not change significantly. V has been shown to penetrate deeper into the particle with increasing catalytic age. Although it has been previously suggested that V is responsible for damaging the zeolite components of FCC particles, no spatial correlation was found for V and La, which was used as a marker for the embedded zeolite domains. This suggests that although V is known to be detrimental to zeolites in FCC particles, a preferential interaction does not exist between the two.
Funding Information
  • Netherlands Center for Multiscale Catalytic Energy Conversion
  • European Research Council (321140)

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