Platinum (Pt) supported on sulfated zirconia (SZ) and HY-zeolite as a solid acid catalyst was synthesized successfully for isomerization reaction using precipitation and impregnation method. The physicochemical properties of the catalyst were characterized using various techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transformation infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR), BET Surface area and pore volume, and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM). The prepared composite catalyst Pt/SZ-HY consisted of high Bronsted acidic sites and Lewis acidic sites. The addition of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to SZ increased the surface area and pore volume, resulting in smaller crystal sizes and a narrower particle size distribution. However, sulfated zirconia without MWCNTs proved more suitable for the isomerization reaction due to its high functional group density. The Pt/SZ-HY composite catalyst exhibited high Bronsted and Lewis acidic sites, with a 1:1 weight ratio of mesoporous SZ and HY zeolite. The catalytic performance of the Pt/SZ-HY composite was evaluated in the isomerization of light Iraqi naphtha, yielding a maximum conversion of 70.76 mol% at 160°C, 15 bar, and 1 hr-1 LHSV.
