The hydroisomerization of n-hexadecane was carried out over Pt/A1-MCM-41 catalysts at
350~ and 103 bar. A1-MCM-41 was prepared by two different methods; a direct sol-gel
method (Pre) and a post-grafting method (Post). A1-MCM-41 was characterized by using
XRD, nitrogen adsorption, 27A1 NMR and ammonia TPD. The higher the amount of acid
sites was, the higher the reactivity and isomer yield were. Pt/A1-MCM-41-Post showed
higher conversions and higher isomerization yield than Pt/A1-MCM-41-Pre. Reaction
results did not agree with A1-NMR data but with ammonia TPD. This difference was
attributed to the better accessibility of tetrahedral sites (Broensted acid sites) in AI-MCM-41-Post than those in A1-MCM-41-Pre.