ABSTRACT
Discussion of the preparation of catalysts for naphtha reforming remains predominantly a discussion of the preparation of platinum-containing catalysts. Platinum remains the chief metal component for all commercial reforming catalysts. The catalysts utilized when the first commercial reformers were employed in the late 1940s were monometallicsupported platinum catalysts. Since then, there has been considerable evolution in the reforming catalyst, centering largely on the chemical formulation although support modifications have some importance. Platinum has remained the key component. The bimetallic catalysts introduced in the late 1960s employed a second element, such as Re, Sn, Ge, and Ir, which interacted with platinum to result in catalysts that offered better gasoline selectivity or better overall performance stability. This offered the possibility of operating at lower pressures. Process innovations were developed, and the new direction for catalytic reforming was initiated. This has been the major direction since then, as discussed in Chapter 13 of this book.
