Platinum Reforming Catalyst: 0.1 % Platinum and 1.5 % Fluorine on Alumina (Haensel, UOP, US 2,479,110)

Haensel's reforming catalyst: a trace of platinum, only 0.1 %, on alumina that also carries fluorine. The fluorine is what makes it work: on the same naphtha it lifted the reformate from octane 59.8 to 78.8. Variable: fluorine content. Tested on a Pennsylvania naphtha of octane 41.8: no fluorine 59.8; 1.5 % 78.8 (874 °F); 3 % 77.4 (824 °F); 6 % 72.4 (755 °F). Keep it at about 3 % or below. Source: Haensel, US 2,479,110 (1949), Ex. I-II and IV. Not given: amounts of the aluminium salt and ammonia. Unknown: how the aluminium chloride hexahydrate, chloroplatinic acid and hydrogen sulfide are made. Danger: hydrofluoric acid and hydrogen sulfide are deadly poisons. Picture drawn by Youblob.