The hydrogenation of ethylbenzene to ethylcyclohexane over a nickel–mordenite catalyst is zero order in both reactants up to an ethylbenzene conversion of 75% (Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 28 (3), 260 (1989)). At 553 K, k = 5.8 mol ethylbenzene/(dm3 of catalyst · h). When a 100-ppm thiophene concentration entered the system, the ethylbenzene conversion began to drop.

The reaction was carried out at 3 MPa and a molar ratio of H₂/ETB = 10. Discuss the catalyst decay. Be quantitative where possible.

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Time (h) 0 1 2 4 6 8 12 Conversion 0.92 0.82 0.75 0.50 0.30 0.21 0.10