Al-rich Cu-SSZ-13 zeolite synthesized by interconversion from Y: Crystallization process resolution and application in the selective catalytic reduction of NO with NH3

Abstract

Cu-SSZ-13 zeolite is a promising catalyst in the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NOx with NH3 and the interzeolite conversion is considered as a convenient method with relatively low cost to get the Al-rich SSZ-13 zeolite with great hydrothermal stability. However, the crystallization process of interzeolite conversion and its relation to the catalytic performance of Cu-SSZ-13 in the NH3-SCR of NOx are still poorly understood. Herein, the interzeolite conversion process of Y to SSZ-13 was well resolved and the effect of major synthesis factors on the hydrothermal stability and catalytic performance of Cu-SSZ-13 in the NH3-SCR of NOx was investigated. The results indicate that highly crystalline SSZ-13 can be synthesized by the interzeolite conversion from Y, using N,N,N-trimethyl-1-adamantammonium hydroxide (TMAdaOH) as the structure-directing agent (SDA) and with a SDA/Si molar ratio of 0.06–0.2. The Y zeolite of FAU framework is first degraded and decomposed into the oligomeric aluminosilicate fragments quickly in the alkaline circumstance; thereafter, the oligomeric fragments develop into the crystal nuclei that arouse the rapid crystallization of the SSZ-13 zeolite of CHA framework with the help of SDA and solid Al(OH)3, during which the Al(OH)3 source is dissolved and restructured to tetrahedral Al species and incorporated into the CHA framework. The synthesized Cu-SSZ-13 zeolite exhibits excellent catalytic performance in the NH3-SCR of NO, achieving an NO conversion of nearly 90% at a rather low temperature of 150 °C and a gaseous hourly space velocity (GHSV) of 100,000 h−1. Moreover, the Cu-SSZ-13 catalyst displays great hydrothermal stability and remains highly active even after aging at 800 °C. These results help to clarify the mechanism of interzeolite conversion and provide an effective method to synthesize highly crystalline Al-rich SSZ-13 zeolite with great potential for application in the NH3-SCR of NOx.