Aluminum-rich mesoporous MFI - type zeolite single crystals

Zeolitcs are crystalline materials, which are widely used as solid acid catalysts and supports in many industrial processes. Recently, mesoporous MFI-type zeolite single crystals were synthesized by use of carbon particles as a mesopore template and sodium aluminate as the aluminum Source. With this technique, only zeolites with relatively low Al contents were reported (Si/Al ratio about 100).

In this work, the preparation of aluminum-rich mesoporous MFI-type zeolite single crystals (Si/Al similar to 16-50) using aluminum isopropoxide as the aluminum Source is reported for the first time. All samples are characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ammonia temperature programmed desorption (NH3-TPD), and N-2 adsorption measurements.

The obtained zeolites combine the high crystallinity and the characteristic micropores of zeolites with an intracrystalline mesopore system having mesopore volumes varying between 0.37-0.40 cm(3)/g.