Stable product oligomer selectivity from olefin oligomerization on ZSM-5 zeolites and zeotypes

1 . A method for converting alkenes to higher liquid products, comprising:

combining a source of quaternary ammonium surfactant with hydrocarbon chains, a source of sodium, and water to form an aqueous solution, wherein the source of the quaternary ammonium surfactant with hydrocarbon chains is represented by: C n H 2n+1 —N + (CH 3 ) 2 —C 6 H 12 —N + (CH 3 ) 2 —C n H 2n+1 , where n is 4 to 8;

homogenizing the aqueous solution;

adding a source of aluminum to the homogenized aqueous solution to form an intermediate agent;

homogenizing the intermediate agent to form an aluminum-containing intermediate agent;

adding a source of silicon to the aluminum-containing intermediate agent to form an aluminosilicate-containing intermediate agent;

homogenizing the aluminosilicate-containing intermediate agent to form a synthesis gel;

crystallizing the synthesis gel to form a MFI zeolite;

contacting one or more alkenes having 2 to 12 carbon atoms with the MFI zeolite comprising a silicon to aluminum ratio (Si:Al) of about 10 to about 100 and a crystallite size of about 0.001 μm to about 0.1 μm; and

oligomerizing the one or more alkenes in the presence of the MFI zeolite to form an oligomer having 4 to 26 carbon atoms.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising conducting an ion-exchange treatment to remove unreacted reagents, and then recovering the acid-form zeolite.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the quaternary ammonium surfactants with hydrocarbon chains are represented by: C n H 2n+1 —N + (CH 3 ) 2 —C 6 H 12 —N + (CH 3 ) 2 —C n H 2n+1 , where n is 4 to 8.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the crystallizing the synthesis gel to form the MFI zeolite occurs at a temperature of about 90° C. to about 150° C.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the source of quaternary ammonium surfactant with hydrocarbon chains is tetrapropylammonium hydroxide.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the quaternary ammonium surfactant with hydrocarbon chains to silicon is 0.05 to 0.20 and a ratio of Na:Al is 0.1 to 0.3.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the source of silicon is colloidal silica, a silicon alkoxide compound, fumed silica, amorphous silica, aluminosilicate, or any combinations thereof.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the source of aluminum is aluminum hydroxide, aluminum sulfate, aluminum nitrate, aluminosilicate, or derivatives thereof.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the source of the one or more alkenes having 2 to 12 carbon atoms is from natural gas, natural gas liquids, or mixtures thereof.

10 . A method for converting alkenes to higher liquid products, comprising:

combining a source of quaternary ammonium surfactant with hydrocarbon chains, a source of sodium, and water to form an aqueous solution, wherein the source of the quaternary ammonium surfactant with hydrocarbon chains is represented by: C n H 2n+1 —N + (CH 3 ) 2 —C 6 H 12 —N + (CH 3 ) 2 —C n H 2n+1 , where n is 4 to 8;

homogenizing the aqueous solution;

adding a source of aluminum to the homogenized aqueous solution to form an intermediate agent;

homogenizing the intermediate agent to form an aluminum-containing intermediate agent;

adding a source of silicon to the aluminum-containing intermediate agent to form an aluminosilicate-containing intermediate agent, wherein a ratio of the quaternary ammonium surfactant with hydrocarbon chains to silicon is 0.05 to 0.20;

homogenizing the aluminosilicate-containing intermediate agent to form a synthesis gel;

crystallizing the synthesis gel to form a MFI zeolite;

contacting one or more alkenes having 2 to 12 carbon atoms with the MFI zeolite comprising a silicon to aluminum ratio (Si:Al) of about 10 to about 100 and a crystallite size of about 0.001 μm to about 0.1 μm; and

oligomerizing the one or more alkenes in the presence of the MFI zeolite to form an oligomer having 4 to 26 carbon atoms.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the silicon to aluminum ratio (Si:Al) is about 20 to about 50.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the crystallite size is about 0.01 μm to about 0.05 μm.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more alkenes are derived from natural gas, natural gas liquids, or mixtures of both.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more alkenes each have 2 to 6 carbon atoms.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the oligomer contains less than about 5% aromatics and less than about 10 ppm sulfur.

16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the oligomer has a boiling point in the range of about 170° C. to about 360° C.

17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the oligomer contains less than about 5% aromatics and less than about 10 ppm sulfur, and the oligomer has a boiling point in the range of about 170° C. to about 360° C.