Upgrading of Alberta's heavy Oils by Superacid-Catalyzed Hydrocaracking

摘要

The HF.BF_3 superacid-catalyzed hydrocaracking of tar sands bitumens and asphaltenes leads to deep-rooted chemical changes which affect both the aliphatic and aromatic constitutents of the feedstocks even under mild experimental conditions, resulting in high yields of volatiles and liquid products. In contrast to conventional catalytic hydrocracking following free-radical mechanisms, the superacid-catalyzed reaction follows ionic mechanisms, yielding products very different from those following the free-radical reactions.