IZM-7: A new stable aluminosilicogermanate with a promising catalytic activity

Abstract

Owing to their extra-large pores compared to traditional aluminosilicate zeolites, silicogermanates could be attractive for the catalytic transformation of bulky molecules, provided the frameworks can be modified to incorporate acid sites and can be stabilized to survive calcination. Post-synthetic isomorphic substitution of Ge by Si and Al would present a route to achieve this goal. This report describes the transformation and characterization of the non-stable IM-12 silicogermanate into a new stable IZM-7 aluminosilicogermanate by partially substituting Ge by Si in gaseous form to stabilize the material, followed by an aqueous alumination step. IZM-7-based catalyst presents promising performance in the hydroconversion of n-decane compared to conventional zeolites, opening perspectives for the catalytic use of stable derivatives of silicogermanate zeolites.