Andri Sanjaya, Hanifah Rizky Nurjannah, Jimni Rospita Dewi, Damayanti Damayanti, Didik Supriyadi, Deviany Deviany, Yunita Fahni, Deni Frans Sakka, Desi Riana Saputri
Fluid catalytic cracking catalysts (FCCCs) are essential in petroleum refining but become hazardous spent materials after deactivation due to heavy metal and coke deposition. Regenerating spent FCC catalysts (SFCCCs) is necessary to reduce hazardous waste and restore physicochemical properties. Conventional regeneration methods face limitations, such as high energy demand or potential structural damage, leaving a gap for more efficient and sustainable approaches. This study shows that a hybrid ultrasonic-chemical method can effectively regenerate SFCCCs, improving surface morphology, pore structure, and crystallinity, as evidenced by characterization using XRD, FTIR, BET, and SEM-EDS. The untreated SFCCCs exhibited a surface area of 27.255 m²/g, which increased to 33.508 m²/g after hybrid treatment and 34.344 m²/g after chemical treatment, indicating pore reopening and enhanced surface activity. FTIR analysis showed clearer Si-O-Si and –OH bands in hybrid-treated samples, suggesting improved recovery of the zeolite structure and reduced coke formation. XRD patterns showed sharper peaks in the 2θ = 22–30° range, indicating greater crystallinity in hybrid regeneration than in untreated samples. SEM-EDS showed cleaner, more porous morphologies with reduced Fe (3.25%) and exposure of hidden Ni (9.49%) after hybrid treatment. These findings underscore the effectiveness of ultrasonic-assisted chemical regeneration, which offers a promising pathway for sustainable catalyst waste management and potential future reuse applications. © 2026, Thaksin University. All rights reserved.
Chemical Engineering Department, Institut Teknologi Sumatera, Jalan Terusan Ryacudu, Lampung Selatan, 35365, Indonesia; Biology Department, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Universitas Negeri Makasar, Jl. Daeng Tata Raya, 90244, Indonesia
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