College of Education for Pure Science

Master thesis Viva in the College of Education for Pure Science entitled ” Catalytic treatment of naphtha using a mixed catalyst of platinum and palladium loaded on alumina prepared from bauxite ore ”

The College of Education for Pure Science, University of Mosul, has done the Master thesis Viva entitled ” Catalytic treatment of naphtha using a mixed catalyst of platinum and palladium loaded on alumina prepared from bauxite ore”,

On Sunday, June 25, 2023, the College staff including the respected Dean of the College, Assistant Professor Dr. Qais Ismail Ibrahim, the Honorable Scientific Associate and Administrative Associate, the Honorable Head of the Department of Chemistry, and a number of the college’s teachers were attended the viva.

This study, presented by the master student Abbas Rafaa Qasim Mohammad in the Department of Chemistry, includes the selection of one of the natural ores (bauxite clays), which is characterized by its high content of various aluminum minerals, such as Al(OH)3 gypsumite, bohemite and AlO(OH) disbor, as a source to obtain alumina (Al2O3), and using it as a catalyst support material after conducting a series of physical and chemical treatments. Clay ore includes milling (grinding) and sifting using sieves of a certain size, and then identifying its content of clay and non-clay minerals.

Its components are studied using various techniques such as energy dispersive X-rays (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). After that, aluminum oxide (alumina) is prepared from the ore through a series of chemical treatments, and then a catalyst consisting of transition elements (platinum and palladium) loaded on alumina is prepared and after studying it using various techniques, identifying its components and determining the weight and atomic percentages for each including energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) measurements.

Thermal stability was confirmed by conducting thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermoanalysis (DTA), measuring the surface area of the prepared catalyst (BET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), as well as conducting X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence. (XRF) for the purpose of identifying the percentages of the constituent minerals of each of the bauxite ore and the prepared catalyst, and then estimating the percentage of these elements in their oxide form.

The prepared catalyst is used in the catalytic treatment of one of the oil derivatives (naphtha) using an autoclave and to identify its ability to perform various catalytic reactions such as isomerization reactions and structural reformation, which would increase the octane number by studying and analyzing the structural (conversion) changes that occurred in the various hydrocarbon components contained within the naphtha derivative.

Where the catalytic treatment is carried out in different conditions of temperature, catalyst ratio, and reaction time. The optimal conditions are determined after studying the catalytic treatment products, identifying the nature of chemical changes using infrared (IR) spectrum technology, knowing the percentage of the paraffin, aromatic, and olefin content, and measuring the octane number and properties. After that, the untreated and treated naphtha are studied under optimal conditions using the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrum technique to measure the relative distribution of protons of different types, as well as an analysis of the catalytic treatment products using the gas chromatography (GC) technique.

The Viva committee was chaired by Prof. Dr. Ammar Ahmed Hamdoon / University of Mosul / College of Education for Pure Science and the membership of Asst. Prof. Dr. Hussein Habib Mustafa / Kirkuk University / College of Agriculture / Hawija, Lecturer Dr. Thaer Abed Halo Mahmoud/ University of Mosul / College of Education for Girls, and under the supervision and membership of Assist. Prof. Dr. Qaidar Salim Jarjees / University of Mosul / College of Education for Pure Science.