Towards Greener Detergents by Sustainable Production of Linear Alkylbenzenes Using Heteropolyacid-Supported Nano-Titanium Dioxide Catalyst: Experimental Design and Optimization

This study investigates the use of Dawson heteropolyacid (HPA)-supported nano-titanium dioxide (TiO₂) as an eco-friendly solid acid catalyst for the liquid-phase alkylation of benzene with 1-decene, with the aim of synthesizing linear alkylbenzenes (LAB). A systematic experimental design approach was employed utilizing 2-level factorial design and response surface methodology to optimize the reaction parameters. The findings indicated that reaction temperature and catalyst calcination temperature significantly influenced 1-decene conversion and LAB yield, with catalyst loading appearing as the most critical factor. Under optimal conditions, the maximum conversion of 1-decene was 99.06% and the LAB yield was 100%. These results emphasize the efficacy of the Dawson-supported nano-TiO₂ catalyst in LAB synthesis and demonstrate the value of experimental design methods in optimizing chemical processes for industrial applications.