Enhancing the Porosity of Mesoporous Carbon-Templated ZSM-5 by Desilication

A tunable desilication protocol applied on a mesoporous ZSM-5 zeolite synthesized by carbon-templating is reported. The strategy enables a systematic manufacture of zeolite catalysts with moderate to very high mesoporosities. Coupling carbon-templating and desilication thus allow for more than a doubling of the original mesopore volume and mesopore surface area.

The porosity effect arising from various treatment times and base amounts in the media has been thoroughly mapped. Initially, small mesopores are created, and as desilication strength increases the average mesopore size enhances. Crystallinity of the treated samples is retained, and electron microscopy indicates solely intracrystalline mesoporosity. (