Facile and selective approach towards synthesis of a series ZSM-5/ZSM-12 catalysts for methanol to hydrocarbons reactions: Applying different synthesis driving force and conditions

Abstract

The use of ultrasonic waves was developed for synthesis of zeolites at shorter crystallization time with improving their desirable properties. A series of nanostructured ZSM-5/ZSM-12 composite zeolites with different Si/Al ratios and alkalinity using organic templates were prepared by hydrothermal and sonochemical synthesis methods. The physicochemical properties of synthesized nanocatalysts such as structure, morphology, textural, and acidity were characterized via XRD, FESEM, N2 physisorption, FTIR, TPD-NH3, TGA-DTG techniques. The results revealed that increasing the Si/Al ratio and alkalinity in the hydrothermal samples enhanced the crystallization, formation of amorphous microcrystals, and dominant phase of MFI with decreasing MTW competitive phase. Zeolites synthesized by high-temperature and short-time sonochemical method had higher crystallinity, less dominant phase of ZSM-5, smaller crystals, greater surface areas, higher concentration of Brønsted acid sites, and stronger strength of moderate/strong acid sites. The catalytic performance of the zeolites for MTH conversion was evaluated under a reaction temperature of 450 °C at different times on stream. The results showed that the sonochemical zeolite had a higher methanol conversion (100%), higher selectivity toward olefins (28% vs. 19%) with more C3=/C2= ratio (0.79 vs. 0.58), and lower alkanes selectivity (66% vs. 72%) after 240 min TOS.