Chinese Journal of Catalysis ›› 2015, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (11): 1910-1919.DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(15)60960-3

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Facile preparation of nanocrystal-assembled hierarchical mordenite zeolites with remarkable catalytic performance

Yangyang Yuana,b,c, LinyingWanga,b, Hongchao Liua,b, PengTiana,b, Miao Yanga,b, Shutao Xua,b, ZhongminLiua,b   

  1. a National Engineering Laboratory for Methanol to Olefins, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, Liaoning, China;
    b Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, Liaoning, China;
    c University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
  • Received:2015-07-16 Revised:2015-07-18 Online:2015-11-02 Published:2015-11-02
  • Supported by:

    This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21101150, 21476228, 21473182).

Abstract:

The present study reports a novel strategy to fabricate nanocrystal-assembled hierarchical MOR zeolites. This is the first demonstration of hierarchical MOR without preferential growth along the c-axis, which facilitates mass transfer in the 12-membered ring channels of MOR zeolite for the conversions involving bulky molecules. The facile method involves the combined use of tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAOH) and commercial surfactants, in which TEAOH is essential for the construction of nanocrystal assemblies. The surfactant serves as a crystal growth-inhibiting agent to further inhibit nanocrystalline particle growth, resulting in enhanced mesoporosity. The hierarchical MOR assembled particles, constructed of 20-50-nm crystallites, exhibit superior catalytic properties in the alkylation of benzene with benzyl alcohol compared with the control sample, as the hierarchical MOR possesses a larger external surface area and longer c-axis dimension. More importantly, the material shows improved activity and stability in the dimethyl ether carbonylation to methyl acetate reaction, which is a novel route to produce ethanol from syngas.

Key words: Nanocrystal-assembled, Mordenite, Tetraethylammonium hydroxide, Surfactant, Catalytic activity