Mechanism of Catalytic Aquathermolysis: Influences on Heavy Oil by Two Types of Efficient Catalytic Ions: Fe³⁺ and Mo⁶⁺

Abstract

In this paper, we have used thin-layer chromatography−flame ionization detection (TLC-FID), elemental (EL) analysis, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), and gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) to analyze the changes in heavy oil, reaction water, and pyrolytic gas during catalytic aquathermolysis comprehensively, and then describe the same and different influences on heavy oil during the aquathermolysis catalyzed by two types of typical efficient catalytic ions: Fe3+ and Mo6+. The results showed that, using these two ions, seven types of actions were observed during the reaction: pyrolysis; depolymerization; hydrogenation; isomerization; ring opening; oxygenation, alcoholization, and esterification; and reconstruction. It was also found that the former caused more changes in the resin, saturated hydrocarbon, and oxygen-containing groups, whereas the latter led to more changes in the asphaltene, aromatic hydrocarbon, and sulfur-containing groups.