Modification of acid sites in ZSM-5 by ion-exchange: An in-situ FTIR study

Abstract

A study of the acid sites in Mn+-ZSM-5 zeolites (Mn+=H+, Al3+, Ca2+, and Ba2+), synthesized by ion-exchange from the NH4+ form, has been carried out using X-ray diffraction, 27Al MAS NMR, and in-situ FTIR spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction data indicate that the crystalline structure of ZSM-5 is maintained on ion-exchange. 27Al MAS NMR spectroscopy confirms that Lewis acid sites in all of the Mn+-ZSM-5 zeolites are mainly located on the tetrahedral aluminum atoms in the zeolite framework. However, octahedral extra-framework aluminum is another source of Lewis acid sites in H+-ZSM-5 and Al3+-ZSM-5. Brønsted acid sites are identified as originating from the hydroxyl groups that bridge Al and Si atoms. The acid sites in Mn+-ZSM-5 have been characterized by in-situ FTIR spectroscopy with pyridine as the probe molecule. FTIR spectroscopy demonstrated that the number of accessible acid sites and ratio of Lewis to Brønsted acid sites in Mn+-ZSM-5 can be effectively modified by ion-exchange. The number of acid sites in Mn+-ZSM-5 increases in the same order as the acidity of cations with Ba2+<Ca2+<NH4+<Al3+<H+. Though the strength of both Lewis and Brønsted acid sites is virtually identical for all Mn+-ZSM-5 zeolites, the ratio of Brønsted to Lewis acid sites varies as a result of the loaded cation. In addition, modification of acid sites in Mn+-ZMS-5 by loading different cations is discussed in terms of the accessibility of the surface of the zeolite channels and the reactivity of the cations with Brønsted acid hydroxyls. We conclude that larger cations can effectively constrict the zeolite channels and impede the ability of pyridine to access acid sites on the surface of the channels.