The structure-directing role of heterologous seeds in the synthesis of zeolite

Zeolites have been widely used as catalysts,ion-exchangers,and adsorbents in chemical industries,detergent industry,steel industry,glass industry,ceramic industry,medical and healthfield,and environmentalfield,and recently applied in energy storage.Seed-assisted synthesis is a very effective approach in promoting the crystallization of zeolites.In some cases,the target zeolite cannot be formed in the absence of seed zeolite.In homologous seed-assisted synthesis,the structure of the seed zeolite is the same to that of the target zeolite,while the structure of the seed zeolite is different to that of the target zeolite in the heterologous seed-assisted synthesis.In this review,we briefly summarized the heterologous seed-assisted syntheses of zeolites and analyzed the structure-directing effect of heterologous seeds and surveyed the“common composite building units(CBUs)hypothesis”and the“common secondary building units(SBUs)hypothesis”.However,both hypotheses cannot explain all observations on the heterologous seed-assisted syntheses.Finally,we proposed that the formation of the target zeolite does need nuclei with the structure of target zeolite and the formation of the nuclei of the target zeolite can be promoted by either the undissolved seed crystals with the same CBUs or SBUs to the target zeolite or by the facilitated appropriate distribution of the specific building units due to the presence of the heterologous seed that does not have any common CBUs and SBUs with the target zeolite.

Facile synthesis of hierarchical NaX zeolite from natural kaolinite for efficient Knoevenagel condensation

Zeolite catalysts have found extensive applications in the synthesis of various fine chemicals.However,the micropores of zeolites impose diffusion limitations on bulky molecules,greatly reducing the catalytic efficiency.Herein,we explore an economic and environmentally friendly method for synthesizing hierarchical NaX zeolite that exhibits improved catalytic performance in the Knoevenagel condensation reaction for producing the useful fine chemical 2-cyano-3-phenylacrylate.The synthesis was achieved via a low-temperature activation of kaolinite and subsequent in-situ transformation strategy without any template or seed.Systematic characterizations reveal that the synthesized NaX zeolite has both intercrystalline and intra-crystalline mesopores,smaller crystal size,and larger external specific surface area compared to commercial NaX zeolite.Detailed mechanism investigations show that the inter-crystalline mesopores are generated by stacking smaller crystals formed from in-situ crystallization of the depolymerized kaolinite,and the intra-crystalline mesopores are inherited from the pores in the depolymerized kaolinite.This synthesis strategy provides an energy-saving and effective way to construct hierarchical zeolites,which may gain wide applications in fine chemical manufacturing.

Dealuminated Hβ zeolite for selective conversion of fructose to furfural and formic acid

The fructose-to-furfural transformation is facing major challenges in the selectivity and high efficiency. Herein, we have developed a simple and effective approach for the selective conversion of fructose to furfural using Hβ zeolite modified by organic acids for dealuminization to regulate its textural and acidic properties. It was found that citric acid-dealuminized Hβ zeolite possessed high specific surface areas, wide channels and high Brønsted acid amount, which facilitated the selective conversion of fructose to furfural with a maximum yield of 76.2% at433 K for 1 h in the γ-butyrolactone(GBL)-H_(2)O system, as well as the concomitant formation of 83.0% formic acid. The^(13)C-isotope labelling experiments and the mechanism revealed that the selective cleavage of C1–C2 or C5–C6 bond on fructose was firstly occurred to form pentose or C5 intermediate by weak Brønsted acid, which was then dehydrated to furfural by strong Brønsted acid. Also this dealuminized Hβ catalyst showed the great recycling performance and was active for the conversion of glucose and mannose.

EDTA-LDH/zeolite制备及其对重金属离子的吸附

用水热法和焙烧还原法两步合成了乙二胺四乙酸-水滑石/沸石(EDTA-LDH/zeolite)复合材料,并将其用于去除水溶液中的Cd^(2+)、Pb^(2+)、Cu^(2+),系统研究不同条件下EDTA-LDH/zeolite对单一及混合重金属离子溶液中Cd^(2+)、Pb^(2+)、Cu^(2+)的吸附效果与吸附机制。结果表明,当EDTA-LDH/zeolite投加量为0.05 g、重金属离子浓度为1500 mg/L、pH值为6.5、吸附时间为24 h时,EDTA-LDH/zeolite吸附性能最佳。重金属离子间存在竞争吸附,EDTA-LDH/zeolite对Cd^(2+)、Pb^(2+)、Cu^(2+)的最大吸附容量分别为65.33、98.35和108.51 mg/g。去除过程中沉淀作用、表面络合、螯合反应等多种机制协同作用,去除行为均符合Langmuir等温模型与拟二阶动力学模型。

Synthesis of spherical nano-ZSM-5 zeolite with intergranular mesoporous for alkylation of ethylbenzene with ethanol to produce m-diethylbenzene

Catalytic synthesis of m-diethylbenzene(m-DEB)through alkylation of ethylbenzene(EB)may be a promising alternative route in comparison with traditional rectification of mixed DEB,for which the top priority is to develop efficient and stable heterogeneous catalysts.Here,the spherical nano-ZSM-5 zeolite with abundant intergranular mesoporous is synthesized by the seed-mediated growth method for alkylation of EB with ethanol to produce m-DEB.The results show that the spherical nano-ZSM-5 zeolite exhibits better stability and higher alkylation activity at a lower temperature than those of commercial micropore ZSM-5.And then,the spherical nano-ZSM-5 is further modified by La_(2)O_(3) through acid treatment followed by immersion method.The acid treatment causes nano-ZSM-5 to exhibit the increased pore size but decreased the acid sites,and subsequent La_(2)O_(3) loading reintroduces the weak acid sites.As a result,the HNO_(3)-La_(2)O_(3)-modified catalyst exhibits a slight increase in EB conversion and DEB yield in comparison with unmodified one,and meanwhile,it still maintains high m-DEB selectivity.The catalyst after acid treatment achieves higher catalytic stability besides maintaining the high alkylation activity of EB with ethanol.The present study on the spherical nano-HZSM-5 zeolite and its modification catalyst with excellent alkylation ability provides new insights into the production of mDEB.

Production of linear alkylbenzene over Ce containing Beta zeolites

Ce-encapsulated Beta zeolite was synthesized by a one-pot hydrothermal method with citric acid complexing Ce in the absence of Na species.Additional citric acid can effectively prevent the deposition of Ce species during the hydrothermal synthesis of zeolites,leading to uniform distribution of Ce cluster in the framework of Beta zeolites.Moreover,the sodium-free synthesis system resulted that the Brønsted acid sites were mainly located on the straight channels and external surface of Beta zeolites,improving the utilization of Brønsted acid sites.In addition,Ce encapsulated Beta zeolites showed enhanced activity and robust stability in the alkylation of benzene with 1-dodecene based on the synergistic effect between Ce species and Brønsted acid sites,which pave the way for its practical application in the production of alkylbenzene.

Development and Catalytic Cracking Performance of Ultrastable Y Zeolite Rich in Secondary Pores

A novel ultra-stable zeolite, NSZ, rich in secondary pores was developed through the combination of gas-phase andmild hydrothermal methods. This zeolite was successfully tested in an industrial setting for the first time in the world. The porestructure characteristics of the NSZ zeolite prepared for industrial use were analyzed and characterized using BET. The resultsindicate a significant increase in the secondary pore volume of NSZ zeolite compared to the existing ultra-stable zeolite HSZ-5, which is produced through a conventional gas-phase method. The average secondary pore volume to total pore volume ratioin NSZ zeolite was found to be 58.96% higher. The catalytic cracking performance of NSZ zeolite was evaluated. The resultsshowed that the NSC-LTA catalyst, with NSZ as the active component, outperformed the HSC-LTA catalyst with HSZ-5 zeolitein terms of obtaining more high-value products (gasoline and liquefied petroleum gas) during the hydrogenated light cycle oilprocessing. Additionally, the NSC-LTA catalyst showed a significant improvement in coke selectivity.

Preparation of a zeolite-palladium composite membrane for hydrogen separation:Influence of zeolite film on membrane stability

With the development of hydrogen energy,palladium-based membranes have been widely used in hydrogen separation and purification.However,the poor chemical stability of palladium composite membranes limits their commercial applications.In this study,a zeolite-palladium composite membrane with a sandwich-like structure was obtained by using a TS-1 zeolite film grown on the surface of palladium membrane.The membrane microstructure was characterized by SEM and EDX.The effects of the TS-1 film on the hydrogen permeability and stability of palladium composite membrane were investigated in details.Benefited from the protection of the TS-1 zeolite film,the stability of palladium composite membrane was enhanced.The results indicate that the TS-1-Pd composite membrane was stable after eight cycles of the temperature exchange cycles between 773 K and 623 K.Especially,the loss of hydrogen permeance for TS-1-Pd composite membrane was much smaller than that of the pure palladium membrane when the membrane was tested in the presence of C3H6atmosphere.It indicated that the TS-1-Pd composite membrane had better chemical stability in comparison with pure palladium membrane,owing to its sandwich-like structure.This work provides an efficient way for the deposition of zeolite film on palladium membrane to enhance the membrane stability.

A concise review on surface and structural modification of porous zeolite scaffold for enhanced hydrogen storage

Investigating zeolites as hydrogen storage scaffolds is imperative due to their porous nature and favorable physicochemical properties.Nevertheless,the storage capacity of the unmodified zeolites has been rather unsatisfactory(0.224%-1.082%(mass))compared to its modified counterpart.Thus,the contemporary focus on enhancing hydrogen storage capacities has led to significant attention towards the utilization of modified zeolites,with studies exploring surface modifications through physical and chemical treatments,as well as the integration of various active metals.The enhanced hydrogen storage properties of zeolites are attributed to the presence of aluminosilicates from alkaline and alkaline-earth metals,resulting in increased storage capacity through interactions with the charge density of these aluminosilicates.Therefore,there is a great demand to critically review their role such as well-defined topology,pore structure,good thermal stability,and tunable hydrophilicity in enhanced hydrogen storage.This article aimed to critically review the recent research findings based on modified zeolite performance for enhanced hydrogen storage.Some of the factors affecting the hydrogen storage capacities of zeolites that can affect the rate of reaction and the stability of the adsorbent,like pressure,structure,and morphology were studied,and examined.Then,future perspectives,recommendations,and directions for modified zeolites were discussed.

Phosphotungstic acid immobilized on amino-functionalized TS-1 zeolite as a solid acid catalyst for the synthesis of tributyl citrate

The amino-functionalization of TS-1 zeolite followed by immobilization of phosphotungstic acid(HPW)was presented to prepare a strong solid acid catalyst for the synthesis of bio-based tributyl citrate from the esterification of citric acid and n-butanol.γ-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane(APTES)was first grafted on the TS-1 zeolite via the condensation reactions with surface hydroxyl groups,and subsequently the HPW was immobilized via the reaction between the amino groups and the protons from HPW-forming strong ionic bonding.The Keggin structure of HPW and MFI topology of TS-1 zeolite were well maintained after the modifications.The amino-functionalization generated abundant uniformly distributed active sites on TS-1 for HPW immobilization,which promoted the dispersity,abundance,as well as the stability of the acid sites.The tetrahedrally coordinated framework titanium and non-framework titania behaved as weak Lewis acid sites,and the protons from the immobilized HPW acted as the moderate or strong Brønsted acid sites.An optimized TBC yield of 96.2%(mol)with a conversion of-COOH of 98.1%(mol)was achieved at 150℃for 6 h over the HPW immobilized on amino-functionalized TS-1.The catalyst exhibited good stability after four consecutive reaction runs,where the activity leveled off at still a relatively high level after somewhat deactivation possibly caused by the leaching of a small portion of weakly anchored APTES or HPW.

High-silica faujasite zeolite-tailored metal encapsulation for the low-temperature production of pentanoic biofuels

Zeolite-encapsulated metal nanoclusters are at the heart of bifunctional catalysts,which hold great potential for petrochemical conversion and the emerging sustainable biorefineries.Nevertheless,efficient encapsulation of metal nanoclusters into a high-silica zeolite Y in particular with good structural integrity still remains a significant challenge.Herein,we have constructed Ru nanoclusters(~1 nm)encapsulated inside a high-silica zeolite Y(SY)with a SiO_(2)/Al_(2)O_(3) ratio(SAR)of 10 via a cooperative strategy for direct zeolite synthesis and a consecutive impregnation for metal encapsulation.Compared with the benchmark Ru/H-USY and other analogues,the as-prepared Ru/H-SY markedly boosts the yields of pentanoic biofuels and stability in the direct hydrodeoxygenation of biomass-derived levulinate even at a mild temperature of 180℃,which are attributed to the notable stabilization of transition states by the enhanced acid accessibility and properly sized constraints of zeolite cavities owing to the good structural integrity.

OSDA-free synthesis of FeZSM-22 zeolite from natural minerals for n-octane hydroisomerization

A seed-directed approach to synthesizing Fe ZSM-22 zeolite without organic structure directing agent(OSDA)was developed by using Fe-rich diatomite as all aluminum and iron sources.The Fe ZSM-22zeolite with optimal crystallinity and purity can be obtained by systematically adjusting feed composition and synthesis conditions.Characterizations show that Fe ZSM-22 zeolite synthesized with OSDA-free owns high crystallinity,obvious thin needle-shaped morphology and high Bronsted/Lewis acid ratio.Significantly,when used for n-octane hydroisomerization reaction,its derived catalyst exhibits the best catalytic performance reflected by the highest selectivity to C_(8)isomers compared to the two reference catalysts prepared based on a Fe-containing and a Fe-free ZSM-22 synthesized through an OSDA-directed route from natural diatomite and conventional chemicals,respectively.This work provides an alternative route to sustainably synthesizing heteroatomic zeolites with high performance.

Pervaporation performance and characterization of hydrophilic ZSM-5 zeolite membranes for high inorganic acid and inorganic salts

The hydrophilic ZSM-5 zeolite membranes are applied to separate the inorganic acid solutions and inorganic acid/inorganic salt mixtures by pervaporation,and the membrane presents good stability,dehydration,and desalination performance.Influences of inorganic acid type(H_(2)SO_(4),H_(3)PO_(4),HNO_(3),and HCl),H_(2)SO_(4)concentration(1-6 mol·L^(-1)),test temperature(60-90℃)and inorganic acid/inorganic salt type(2 mol·L^(-1)H_(2)SO_(4)and sulfate,2 mol·L^(-1)H3PO4 and phosphate)on the pervaporation performance are investigated in this work.Either for concentrating 3%(mass)H_(2)SO_(4)solution or consecutive dehydrating 20%(mass)H_(2)SO_(4)solution,the hydrophilic ZSM-5 zeolite membrane has a good dehydration performance and stability.Even though the H_(2)SO_(4)concentration and test temperature are increased to 6 M and 90℃,only H_(2)O molecules could pass through the membrane and pH value of the permeation is kept neutral.Besides,the membrane has good dehydration and desalination performance for H_(2)SO_(4)/sulfates and H_(3)PO_(4)/phosphate mixtures,and the rejection of natrium salt,molysite,and magnesium is almost 100%.

Synthesis of NaY zeolite from a submolten depolymerized perlite:Alkalinity effect and crystallization kinetics

NaY zeolites are synthesized using submolten salt depolymerized natural perlite mineral as the main silica and alumina sources in a 0.94 L stirred crystallizer.Effects of alkalinity ranging from 0.38 to 0.55(n(Na_(2)O)/n(SiO_(2)))on the relative crystallinity,textural properties and crystallization kinetics were investigated.The results show that alkalinity exerts a nonmonotonic influence on the relative crystallinity and textural properties,which exhibit a maximum at the alkalinity of 0.43.The nucleation kinetics are studied by fitting the experimental data of relative crystallinity with the Gualtieri model.It is shown that the nucleation rate constant increases with increasing alkalinity,while the duration period of nucleation decreases with increasing alkalinity.For n(Na_(2)O)/n(SiO_(2))ratios ranging from 0.38 to 0.55,the as-synthesized NaY zeolites exhibit narrower crystal size distributions with the increase in alkalinity.The growth rates determined from the variations of average crystal size with time are 51.09,157.50,46.17 and 24.75 nm·h^(-1),respectively.It is found that the larger average crystal sizes at the alkalinity of 0.38 and 0.43 are attributed to the dominant role of crystal growth over nucleation.Furthermore,the combined action of prominent crystal growth and the longer duration periods of nucleation at the alkalinity of 0.38 and 0.43 results in broader crystal size distributions.The findings demonstrate that control of the properties of NaY zeolite and the crystallization kinetics can be achieved by conducting the crystallization process in an appropriate range of alkalinity of the reaction mixture.

Facile in situ synthesis and characterization of Fe@Si/zeolite Na composites with magnetic core–shell structures from natural materials for enhanced curcumin loading capacity

Curcumin is a natural polyphenol that is used in various traditional medicines.However,its inherent properties,such as its rapid degradation and metabolism,low bioavailability,and short half-life,are serious problems that must be resolved.To this end,a drug carrier incorporating natural magnetic cores in a zeolite framework was developed and applied to the loading of curcumin in ethanol solutions.In this system,curcumin is encapsulated in a zeolite Na(ZNA)magnetic core–shell structure(Fe@Si/ZNA),which can be easily synthesized using an in situ method.Synthesis of Fe_(3)O_(4) nanoparticles was carried out from natural materials using a co-precipitation method.Analysis of the prepared magnetic core–shell structures and composites was carried out using vibrating-sample magnetometery,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,transmission electron microscopy,and x-ray diffraction.The cumulative loading of curcumin in the ZNA composite with 9%nanoparticles was found to reach 90.70%with a relatively long half-life of 32.49 min.Stability tests of curcumin loading in the composite showed that adding magnetic particles to the zeolite framework also increased the stability of the composite structure.Adsorption kinetics and isotherm studies also found that the system follows the pseudo-second-order and Langmuir isotherm models.

Adsorptive and catalytic properties in the removal of volatile organic compounds over zeolite-based materials

Volatile organic compounds（VOCs） are a major component in air pollutants and pose great risks to both human health and environmental protection. Currently, VOC abatement in industrial applications is through the use of activated carbons as adsorbents and oxide-supported metals as catalysts. Notably, activated carbons easily adsorb water, which strongly hinders the adsorption of VOCs; conventional oxides typically possess relatively low surface areas and random pores, which effectively influence the catalytic conversion of VOCs. Zeolites, in contrast with activated carbons and oxides, can be designed to have very uniform and controllable micropores, in addition to tailored wettability properties, which can favor the selective adsorption of VOCs. In particular, zeolites with selective adsorptive properties when combined with catalytically active metals result in zeolite-supported metals exhibiting significantly improved performance in the catalytic combustion of VOCs compared with conventional oxide-supported catalysts. In this review, recent developments on VOC abatement by adsorptive and catalytic techniques over zeolite-based materials have been briefly summarized.

Synthesis and characterization of an unusual snowflake-shaped ZSM-5 zeolite with high catalytic performance in the methanol to olefin reaction

The ZSM-5 zeolite with an unusual snowflake-shaped morphology was hydrothermally synthesized for the first time,and compared with common ellipsoidal and boat-like shaped samples.These samples were characterized by N2 adsorption-desorption,X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy,scanning electron microscopy,X-ray diffraction,magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance,temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia,and infrared spectroscopy of pyridine adsorption.The results suggest that the BET surface area and SiO2/Al2O3 ratio of these samples are similar,while the snowflake-shaped ZSM-5 zeolite possesses more of the（101） face,and distortion,dislocation,and asymmetry in the framework,resulting in a larger number of acid sites than the conventional samples.Catalysts for the methanol to olefin（MTO） reaction were prepared by loading Ca on the samples.The snowflake-shaped Ca/ZSM-5 zeolite exhibited excellent selectivity for total light olefin（72%） and propene（39%） in MTO.The catalytic performance influenced by the morphology can be mainly attributed to the snowflake-shaped ZSM-5 zeolite possessing distortion,dislocation,and asymmetry in the framework,and lower diffusion limitation than the conventional samples.

Preparation of Zn-modified nano-ZSM-5 zeolite and its catalytic performance in aromatization of 1-hexene

The promoting effect of introducing Zn into nano-ZSM-5 zeolites by conventional impregnation method and isomorphous substitution on the performance of 1-hexene aromatization was investigated. The nano-ZSM-5 zeolite was synthesized by a seed-induced method without organic templates. The Zn-modified nano-ZSM-5 zeolite catalysts, xZ n/HNZ5 and y Zn/Al-HNZ5, were prepared by the conventional impregnation method and isomorphous substitution, respectively. The structure, chemical composition and acidity of the catalysts were characterized by XRD, XRF, N2 adsorption, SEM, NH3-TPD and Py-IR, while the catalytic properties were evaluated at 480 °C and a weight hourly space velocity（WHSV） of 2.0 h-1 in the aromatization procedure of 1-hexene. Compared with xZ n/HNZ5, y Zn/Al-HNZ5 exhibited smaller particles and higher dispersion of Zn species, which led to greater intergranular mesopore and homogeneous acidity distribution. Experimental results indicated that the synergy effect between the Brnsted and Lewis acid sites of the isomorphously substituted nano-ZSM-5 zeolites could significantly increase aromatics yield and improve catalytic stability in the 1-hexene aromatization.

Effect of secondary pore distribution on adsorption diffusion performance of n-hexane on 5A zeolite pellets

Adsorption rates of n-hexane on the 5A zeolite at 100 to 300 ℃ and 0.01 to 10 kPa are determined by an intelligent gravimetric analyzer （IGA-100）, and the adsorption diffusion performance of n-hexane on 5A zeolite pellets with different secondary pore distributions is analyzed. The results indicate that 5A-1 and 5A-6 zeolites have similar micropore and mesopore size distribution, while the 5A-6 zeolite has a larger secondary pore volume when the pore diameter is between 0.1 and 1 μm and more secondary pores when the pore diameter is less than 0.01 μm. The effective diffusion coefficient of nhexane on the 5A-6 zeolite pellet is 10 ^-6 to 10 4 cm^2/s, about 2 to 5 times higher than that on the 5A-1 zeolite. The effective diffusion coefficient of n-hexane on the 5A-1 zeolite pellet improves from 5 × 10^-7 to 2 × 10 6cm^2/s when the temperature increases from 100 to 300 ~C. However, the effective diffusion coefficient of n-hexane on the 5A-6 zeolite remains almost unchanged at different temperatures. The molecular average free path of n-hexane decreases from 627.15-963.28 to 0.63-0, 96 Ixm with the adsorption pressure increasing from 0.01 to 10 kPa. Such a flee path is close to the secondary pore diameter, resulting in significant Knudsen diffusion in the secondary pores. Thus, the effective diffusion coefficient of n-hexane on the 5A zeolite pellets increases before 1 kPa and decreases after 1 kPa.

Alkylation of toluene with tert-butyl alcohol over HPW-modified Hβ zeolite

An Hβ-supported heteropoly acid （H3PW12O40 （HPW）/Hβ） catalyst was successfully prepared by wetness impregnation, and investigated in the alkylation of toluene with tert-butyl alcohol for the synthesis of 4-tert-butyltoluene （PTBT）. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmis- sion electron microscopy, fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, inductively coupled plas- ma-optical emission spectrometry, the brunauer emmett teller （BET） method, tempera- ture-programmed NH3 desorption, and pyridine adsorption infrared spectroscopy were used to characterize the catalyst. The results showed that loading HPW on Hβ effectively increased the B acidity and decreased the pore size of Hβ. The B acidity of HPW/Hβ was 142.97 μmol/g, which is 69.74% higher than that of Hβ （84.23 μmol/g）. The catalytic activity of the HPW/Hβ catalyst was much better than that of the parent Hβ zeolite because of its high B acidity. The toluene conversion over HPW/Hβ reached 73.1%, which is much higher than that achieved with Hβ （54.0%）. When HPW was loaded on Hβ, the BET surface area of Hβ decreased from 492.5 to 379.6 m2/g, accompa- nied by a significant decrease in the pore size from 3.90 to 3.17 nm. Shape selectivity can therefore play an important role and increase the product selectivity of the HPW/Hβ catalyst compared with that of the parent Hβ. PTBT （kinetic diameter 0.58 nm） can easily diffuse through the narrowed pores of HPW/Hβ, but 3-tert-butyltoluene （kinetic diameter 0.65 nm） diffusion is restricted because of steric hindrance in these narrow pores. This results in high PTBT selectivity over HPW/Hβ （around 81%）. The HPW/Hβ catalyst gave a stable catalytic performance in reusability tests.