ABSTRACT
Naphtha reforming involves heterogeneous catalysis so that the catalyst constitutes a separate phase.[1] Furthermore, naphtha reforming occurs by bifunctional catalysis.[2] This means that for a Pt-Al2O3-reforming catalyst, some of the processes occur at the surface of platinum or other metal(s) and others at the acidic sites on the alumina or other support. For optimal performance, these two or more types of sites are intermixed on the same primary particles. Characterization of naphtha-reforming catalysts therefore presents many obstacles. One must be aware of the assumptions that enable one to convert the experimental data to conclusions that define the catalyst structure. Unfortunately, all too often the assumptions are overlooked in developing models of reforming catalysts.
