Zeolite (ZSM) catalysts are known to convert small-size alkenes, e.g., propene, into aromatic hydrocarbons, specifically benzene, toluene and xylenes (BTX), with both high efficiency and specificity. The efficiency of conventional and hierarchical nano-size ZSM-5 for propene aromatization was compared in this study using a Design of Experiments (DOE) approach combined with detailed product analysis. Contrary to our expectations, the former showed a significantly greater BTX yield than the latter. Analysis of the obtained data by DOE and additional experiments with soybean oil cracking using both catalyst types indicated that a reason for the observed reduced activity of nano-scale zeolites may be tenacious water adsorption, which may reduce the catalyst active site availability to the substrate
