Graphene Oxide Facilitates Solvent‐Free Synthesis of Well‐Dispersed,Faceted Zeolite Crystals

Zeolites with molecular dimension pores are widely used in petrochemical and fine‐chemical industries. While traditional solvothermal syntheses suffer from environmental, safety, and efficiency issues, the newly developed solvent‐free synthesis is limited by zeolite crystal aggregation. Herein, we report well‐dispersed and faceted silicalite ZSM‐5 zeolite crystals obtained using a solvent‐free synthesis facilitated by graphene oxide (GO). The selective interactions between the GO sheets and different facets, which are confirmed by molecular dynamics simulations, result in oriented growth of the ZSM‐5 crystals along the c‐axis. More importantly, the incorporation of GO sheets into the ZSM‐5 crystals leads to the formation of mesopores. Consequently, the faceted ZSM‐5 crystals exhibit hierarchical pore structures. This synthetic method is superior to conventional approaches because of the features of the ZSM‐5 zeolite.     

Dispersion and Orientation of Zeolite ZSM‐5 Crystallites within a Fluid Catalytic Cracking Catalyst Particle

Confocal fluorescence microscopy was employed to selectively visualize the dispersion and orientation of zeolite ZSM‐5 domains inside a single industrially applied fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalyst particle. Large ZSM‐5 crystals served as a model system together with the acid‐catalyzed fluorostyrene oligomerization reaction to study the interaction of plane‐polarized light with these anisotropic zeolite crystals. The distinction between zeolite and binder material, such as alumina, silica, and clay, within an individual FCC particle was achieved by utilizing the anisotropic nature of emitted fluorescence light arising from the entrapped fluorostyrene‐derived carbocations inside the zeolite channels. This characterization approach provides a non‐invasive way for post‐synthesis characterization of an individual FCC catalyst particle in which the size, distribution, orientation, and amount of zeolite ZSM‐5 aggregates can be determined. It was found that the amount of detected fluorescence light originating from the stained ZSM‐5 aggregates corresponds to about 15 wt %. Furthermore, a statistical analysis of the emitted fluorescence light indicated that a large number of the ZSM‐5 domains appeared in small sizes of about 0.015–0.25 μm², representing single zeolite crystallites or small aggregates thereof. This observation illustrated a fairly high degree of zeolite dispersion within the FCC binder material. However, the highest amount of crystalline material was aggregated into larger domains (ca. 1–5 μm²) with more or less similarly oriented zeolite crystallites. It is clear that this visualization approach may serve as a post‐synthesis quality control on the dispersion of zeolite ZSM‐5 crystallites within FCC particles.     

A Simple Route to Synthesize Mesoporous ZSM‐5 Templated by Ammonium‐Modified Chitosan

Uniform mesoporous zeolite ZSM‐5 crystals have been successfully fabricated through a simple hydrothermal synthetic method by utilizing ammonium‐modified chitosan and tetrapropylammonium hydroxide (TPAOH) as the meso‐ and microscale template, respectively. It was revealed that mesopores with diameters of 5–20 nm coexisted with microporous network within mesoporous ZSM‐5 crystals. Ammonium‐modified chitosan was demonstrated to serve as a mesoporogen, self‐assembling with the zeolite precursor through strong static interactions. As expected, the prepared mesoporous ZSM‐5 exhibited greatly enhanced catalytic activities compared with conventional ZSM‐5 and Al‐MCM‐41 in reactions involving bulky molecules, such as the Claisen–Schmidt condensation of 2‐hydroxyacetophenone with benzaldehyde and the esterification reaction of dodecanoic acid and 2‐ethylhexanol.     

ZSM‐5 Zeolite Nanosheets with Improved Catalytic Activity Synthesized Using a New Class of Structure‐Directing Agents

A new series of multiquaternary ammonium structure‐directing agents, based on 1,4‐diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane, was prepared. ZSM‐5 zeolites with nanosheet morphology (10 nm crystal thickness) were synthesized under hydrothermal conditions using multiquaternary ammonium surfactants as the zeolite structure‐generating agents. Both wide‐angle and small‐angle diffraction patterns were obtained using only a suitable structure‐directing agent under a specific zeolite synthesis composition. A mechanism of zeolite formation is proposed based on the results obtained from various physicochemical characterizations. ZSM‐5 materials were investigated in catalytic reactions requiring medium to strong acidity, which are important for the synthesis of a wide range of industrially important fine and specialty chemicals. The catalytic activity of ZSM‐5 materials was compared with that of the conventional ZSM‐5 and amorphous mesoporous aluminosilicate Al‐MCM‐41. The synthesis strategy of the present investigation using the new series of structure‐directing agents could be extended for the synthesis of other related zeolites or other porous materials in the future. Zeolite with a structural feature as small as the size of a unit cell (5–10 nm) with hierarchically ordered porous structure would be very promising for catalysis.     

Large Zeolite H‐ZSM‐5 Crystals as Models for the Methanol‐to‐Hydrocarbons Process: Bridging the Gap between Single‐Particle Examination and Bulk Catalyst Analysis

The catalytic, deactivation, and regeneration characteristics of large coffin‐shaped H‐ZSM‐5 crystals were investigated during the methanol‐to‐hydrocarbons (MTH) reaction at 350 and 500 °C. Online gas‐phase effluent analysis and examination of retained material thereof were used to explore the bulk properties of large coffin‐shaped zeolite H‐ZSM‐5 crystals in a fixed‐bed reactor to introduce them as model catalysts for the MTH reaction. These findings were related to observations made at the individual particle level by using polarization‐dependent UV‐visible microspectroscopy and mass spectrometric techniques after reaction in an in situ microspectroscopy reaction cell. Excellent agreement between the spectroscopic measurements and the analysis of hydrocarbon deposits by means of retained hydrocarbon analysis and time‐of‐flight secondary‐ion mass spectrometry of spent catalyst materials was observed. The obtained data reveal a shift towards more condensed coke deposits on the outer zeolite surface at higher reaction temperatures. Zeolites in the fixed‐bed reactor setup underwent more coke deposition than those reacted in the in situ microspectroscopy reaction cell. Regeneration studies of the large zeolite crystals were performed by oxidation in O₂/inert gas mixtures at 550 °C. UV‐visible microspectroscopic measurements using the oligomerization of styrene derivatives as probe reaction indicated that the fraction of strong acid sites decreased during regeneration. This change was accompanied by a slight decrease in the initial conversion obtained after regeneration. H‐ZSM‐5 deactivated more rapidly at higher reaction temperature.     

Hierarchical ZSM‐5 Zeolites in Shape‐Selective Xylene Isomerization: Role of Mesoporosity and Acid Site Speciation

The isomerization of o‐xylene, a prototypical example of shape‐selective catalysis by zeolites, was investigated on hierarchical porous ZSM‐5. Extensive intracrystalline mesoporosity in ZSM‐5 was introduced by controlled silicon leaching with NaOH. In addition to the development of secondary porosity, the treatment also induced substantial aluminum redistribution, increasing the density of Lewis acid sites located at the external surface of the crystals. However, the strength of the remaining Brønsted sites was not changed. The mesoporous zeolite displayed a higher o‐xylene conversion than its parent, owing to the reduced diffusion limitations. However, the selectivity to p‐xylene decreased, and fast deactivation due to coking occurred. This is mainly due to the deleterious effect of acidity at the substantially increased external surface and near the pore mouths. A consecutive mild HCl washing of the hierarchical zeolite proved effective to increase the p‐xylene selectivity and reduce the deactivation rate. The HCl‐washed hierarchical ZSM‐5 displayed an approximately twofold increase in p‐xylene yield compared to the purely microporous zeolite. The reaction was followed by operando infrared spectroscopy to simultaneously monitor the catalytic performance and the buildup of carbonaceous deposits on the surface. Our results show that the interplay between activity, selectivity, and stability in modified zeolites can be optimized by relatively simple post‐synthesis treatments, such as base leaching (introduction of mesoporosity) and acid washing (surface acidity modification).     

Gamma‐Ray Irradiation to Accelerate Crystallization of Mesoporous Zeolites

Gamma‐ray (γ‐ray) irradiation was introduced into zeolite synthesis. The crystallization process of zeolite NaA, NaY, Silicalite‐1, and ZSM‐5 were greatly accelerated. The crystallization time of NaA zeolite was significantly decreased to 18 h under γ‐ray irradiation at 20 °C, while more than 102 h was needed for the conventional process. Unexpectedly, more mesopores were created during this process, and thus the adsorption capacity of CO₂ increased by 6‐fold compared to the NaA prepared without γ‐ray irradiation. Solid experimental evidence and density function theory (DFT) calculations demonstrated that hydroxyl free radicals (OH*) generated by γ‐rays accelerated the crystallization of zeolite NaA. Besides NaA, mesoporous ZSM‐5 with MFI topology was also successfully synthesized under γ‐ray irradiation, which possessed excellent catalytic performance for methanol conversion, suggesting the universality of this new synthetic strategy for various zeolites.     

Effects of Coke Deposits on the Catalytic Performance of Large Zeolite H‐ZSM‐5 Crystals during Alcohol‐to‐Hydrocarbon Reactions as Investigated by a Combination of Optical Spectroscopy and Microscopy

The catalytic activity of large zeolite H‐ZSM‐5 crystals in methanol (MTO) and ethanol‐to‐olefins (ETO) conversions was investigated and, using operando UV/Vis measurements, the catalytic activity and deactivation was correlated with the formation of coke. These findings were related to in situ single crystal UV/Vis and confocal fluorescence micro‐spectroscopy, allowing the observation of the spatiotemporal formation of intermediates and coke species during the MTO and ETO conversions. It was observed that rapid deactivation at elevated temperatures was due to the fast formation of aromatics at the periphery of the H‐ZSM‐5 crystals, which are transformed into more poly‐aromatic coke species at the external surface, preventing the diffusion of reactants and products into and out of the H‐ZSM‐5 crystal. Furthermore, we were able to correlate the operando UV/Vis spectroscopy results observed during catalytic testing with the single crystal in situ results.     

Enthalpy and Entropy Barriers Explain the Effects of Topology on the Kinetics of Zeolite‐Catalyzed Reactions

The methylation of ethene, propene, and trans‐2‐butene on zeolites H‐ZSM‐58 (DDR), H‐ZSM‐22 (TON), and H‐ZSM‐5 (MFI) is studied to elucidate the particular influence of topology on the kinetics of zeolite‐catalyzed reactions. H‐ZSM‐58 and H‐ZSM‐22 are found to display overall lower methylation rates compared to H‐ZSM‐5 and also different trends in methylation rates with increasing alkene size. These variations may be rationalized based on a decomposition of the free‐energy barriers into enthalpic and entropic contributions, which reveals that the lower methylation rates on H‐ZSM‐58 and H‐ZSM‐22 have virtually opposite reasons. On H‐ZSM‐58, the lower methylation rates are caused by higher enthalpy barriers, owing to inefficient stabilization of the reaction intermediates in the large cage‐like pores. On the other hand, on H‐ZSM‐22, the methylation rates mostly suffer from higher entropy barriers, because excessive entropy losses are incurred inside the narrow‐channel structure. These results show that the kinetics of crucial elementary steps hinge on the balance between proper stabilization of the reaction intermediates inside the zeolite pores and the resulting entropy losses. These fundamental insights into their inner workings are indispensable for ultimately selecting or designing better zeolite catalysts.     

Differences Between Individual ZSM‐5 Crystals in Forming Hollow Single Crystals and Mesopores During Base Leaching

After base treatment of ZSM‐5 crystals below 100 nm in size, TEM shows hollow single crystals with a 10 nm shell. SEM images confirm that the shell is well‐ preserved even after prolonged treatment. Determination of the Si/Al ratios with AAS and XPS in combination with argon sputtering reveals aluminum zoning of the parent zeolite, and the total pore volume increases in the first two hours of base treatment. In corresponding TEM images, the amount of hollow crystals are observed to increase during the first two hours of base treatment, and intact crystals are visible even after 10 h of leaching; these observations indicate different dissolution rates between individual crystals. TEM of large, commercially available ZSM‐5 crystals shows inhomogeneous distribution of mesopores among different crystals, which points to the existence of structural differences between individual crystals. Only tetrahedrally coordinated aluminum is detected with ²⁷Al MAS NMR after the base leaching of nano‐sized ZSM‐5.     

Phosphatation of Zeolite H‐ZSM‐5: A Combined Microscopy and Spectroscopy Study

A variety of phosphated zeolite H‐ZSM‐5 samples are investigated by using a combination of Fourier transfer infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, single pulse ²⁷Al, ²⁹Si, ³¹P, ¹H‐³¹P cross polarization (CP), ²⁷Al‐³¹P CP, and ²⁷Al 3Q magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR) spectroscopy, scanning transmission X‐ray microscopy (STXM) and N₂ physisorption. This approach leads to insights into the physicochemical processes that take place during phosphatation. Direct phosphatation of H‐ZSM‐5 promotes zeolite aggregation, as phosphorus does not penetrate deep into the zeolite material and is mostly found on and close to the outer surface of the zeolite, acting as a glue. Phosphatation of pre‐steamed H‐ZSM‐5 gives rise to the formation of a crystalline tridymite AlPO₄ phase, which is found in the mesopores of dealuminated H‐ZSM‐5. Framework aluminum species interacting with phosphorus are not affected by hydrothermal treatment. Dealuminated H‐ZSM‐5, containing AlPO₄, retains relatively more framework Al atoms and acid sites during hydrothermal treatment than directly phosphated H‐ZSM‐5.     

Ordered Mesoporous ZSM‐5 Employing an Imidazolium‐Based Ionic Liquid

Hierarchically porous ZSM‐5 was achieved by using a simple bottom‐up strategy combining zeolite seeds with imidazolium‐based ionic liquids. The bimodal ZSM‐5 with hexagonal arranged mesopores (3 nm) shows important activity in the acid catalysis of bulky compounds relative to conventional ZSM‐5.     

Dual‐Mesoporous ZSM‐5 Zeolite with Highly b‐Axis‐Oriented Large Mesopore Channels for the Production of Benzoin Ethyl Ether

Dual‐mesoporous ZSM‐5 zeolite with highly b axis oriented large mesopores was synthesized by using nonionic copolymer F127 and cationic surfactant CTAB as co‐templates. The product contains two types of mesopores—smaller wormlike ones of 3.3 nm in size and highly oriented larger ones of 30–50 nm in diameter along the b axis—and both of them interpenetrate throughout the zeolite crystals and interconnect with zeolite microporosity. The dual‐mesoporous zeolite exhibits excellent catalytic performance in the condensation of benzaldehyde with ethanol and greater than 99 % selectivity for benzoin ethyl ether at room temperature, which can be ascribed to the zeolite lattice structure offering catalytically active sites and the hierarchical and oriented mesoporous structure providing fast access of reactants to these sites in the catalytic reaction. The excellent recyclability and high catalytic stability of the catalyst suggest prospective applications of such unique mesoporous zeolites in the chemical industry.     

Theoretical Insights on Methylbenzene Side‐Chain Growth in ZSM‐5 Zeolites for Methanol‐to‐Olefin Conversion

The key step in the conversion of methane to polyolefins is the catalytic conversion of methanol to light olefins. The most recent formulations of a reaction mechanism for this process are based on the idea of a complex hydrocarbon‐pool network, in which certain organic species in the zeolite pores are methylated and from which light olefins are eliminated. Two major mechanisms have been proposed to date—the paring mechanism and the side‐chain mechanism—recently joined by a third, the alkene mechanism. Recently we succeeded in simulating a full catalytic cycle for the first of these in ZSM‐5, with inclusion of the zeolite framework and contents. In this paper, we will investigate crucial reaction steps of the second proposal (the side‐chain route) using both small and large zeolite cluster models of ZSM‐5. The deprotonation step, which forms an exocyclic double bond, depends crucially on the number and positioning of the other methyl groups but also on steric effects that are typical for the zeolite lattice. Because of steric considerations, we find exocyclic bond formation in the ortho position to the geminal methyl group to be more favourable than exocyclic bond formation in the para position. The side‐chain growth proceeds relatively easily but the major bottleneck is identified as subsequent de‐alkylation to produce ethene. These results suggest that the current formulation of the side‐chain route in ZSM‐5 may actually be a deactivating route to coke precursors rather than an active ethene‐producing hydrocarbon‐pool route. Other routes may be operating in alternative zeotype materials like the silico‐aluminophosphate SAPO‐34.     

Tailoring Zeolite ZSM‐5 Crystal Morphology/Porosity through Flexible Utilization of Silicalite‐1 Seeds as Templates: Unusual Crystallization Pathways in a Heterogeneous System

Diffusion limitation in micropores of zeolites leads to a demand for optimization of zeolite morphology and/or porosity. However, tailoring crystallization processes to realize targeted morphology/porosity is a major challenge in zeolite synthesis. On the basis of previous work on the salt‐aided, seed‐induced route, the template effect of seeds on the formation of micropores, mesopores and even macropores was further explored to selectively achieve desired hierarchical architectures. By carefully investigating the crystallization processes of two typical samples with distinct crystal morphologies, namely, 1) nanocrystallite‐oriented self‐assembled ZSM‐5 zeolite and 2) enriched intracrystal mesoporous ZSM‐5 zeolite, a detailed mechanism is proposed to clarify the role of silicalite‐1 seeds in the formation of diverse morphologies in a salt‐rich heterogeneous system, combined with the transformation of seed‐embedded aluminosilicate gel. On the basis of these conclusions, the morphologies/porosities of products were precisely tailored by deliberately adjusting the synthesis parameters (KF/Si, tetrapropylammonium bromide/Si and H₂O/Si ratios and type of organic template) to regulate the kinetics of seed dissolution and seed‐induced recrystallization. This work may not only provide a practical route to control zeolite crystallization for tailoring crystal morphology, but also expands the knowledge of crystal growth mechanisms in a heterogeneous system.     

High‐Resolution Single‐Molecule Fluorescence Imaging of Zeolite Aggregates within Real‐Life Fluid Catalytic Cracking Particles

Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) is a major process in oil refineries to produce gasoline and base chemicals from crude oil fractions. The spatial distribution and acidity of zeolite aggregates embedded within the 50–150 μm‐sized FCC spheres heavily influence their catalytic performance. Single‐molecule fluorescence‐based imaging methods, namely nanometer accuracy by stochastic chemical reactions (NASCA) and super‐resolution optical fluctuation imaging (SOFI) were used to study the catalytic activity of sub‐micrometer zeolite ZSM‐5 domains within real‐life FCC catalyst particles. The formation of fluorescent product molecules taking place at Brønsted acid sites was monitored with single turnover sensitivity and high spatiotemporal resolution, providing detailed insight in dispersion and catalytic activity of zeolite ZSM‐5 aggregates. The results point towards substantial differences in turnover frequencies between the zeolite aggregates, revealing significant intraparticle heterogeneities in Brønsted reactivity.     

The Effects of Various Sources and Templates on the Microwave‐assisted Synthesis of BZSM‐5 Zeolite

Isomorphic substitution of boron into ZSM‐5 zeolite under microwave‐assisted hydrothermal conditions was systematically studied. When microwave treatment and conventional heating were used, BZSM‐5 zeolite could be obtained within one day, whereas the synthesis of BZSM‐5 under conventional hydrothermal conditions took five days at 180 °C. Various parameters that affect the crystallization of BZSM‐5, such as templates, crystallization time, the silicon source and the Si/B ratio were investigated. Systematic variations of these parameters revealed that this zeolite can be obtained from the reaction mixture with optimized ratios of Si/B > 0.6. Among various tested sources, tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) turned out to be the best source for synthesis of borosilicate zeolite and further investigations were done with TEOS as silicon source. The obtained products were characterized by XRD, SEM, and IR spectroscopic techniques.     

Space‐ and Time‐Resolved In‐situ Spectroscopy on the Coke Formation in Molecular Sieves: Methanol‐to‐Olefin Conversion over H‐ZSM‐5 and H‐SAPO‐34

Formation of coke in large H‐ZSM‐5 and H‐SAPO‐34 crystals during the methanol‐to‐olefin (MTO) reaction has been studied in a space‐ and time‐resolved manner. This has been made possible by applying a high‐temperature in‐situ cell in combination with micro‐spectroscopic techniques. The buildup of optically active carbonaceous species allows detection with UV/Vis microscopy, while a confocal fluorescence microscope in an upright configuration visualises the formation of coke molecules and their precursors inside the catalyst grains. In H‐ZSM‐5, coke is initially formed at the triangular crystal edges, in which straight channel openings reach directly the external crystal surface. At reaction temperatures ranging from 530 to 745 K, two absorption bands at around 415 and 550 nm were detected due to coke or its precursors. Confocal fluorescence microscopy reveals fluorescent carbonaceous species that initially form in the near‐surface area and gradually diffuse inwards the crystal in which internal intergrowth boundaries hinder a facile penetration for the more bulky aromatic compounds. In the case of H‐SAPO‐34 crystals, an absorption band at around 400 nm arises during the reaction. This band grows in intensity with time and then decreases if the reaction is carried out between 530 and 575 K, whereas at higher temperatures its intensity remains steady with time on stream. Formation of the fluorescent species during the course of the reaction is limited to the near‐surface region of the H‐SAPO‐34 crystals, thereby creating diffusion limitations for the coke front moving towards the middle of the crystal during the MTO reaction. The two applied micro‐spectroscopic techniques introduced allow us to distinguish between graphite‐like coke deposited on the external crystal surface and aromatic species formed inside the zeolite channels. The use of the methods can be extended to a wide variety of catalytic reactions and materials in which carbonaceous deposits are formed.     

Formation of a Single‐Crystal Aluminum‐Based MOF Nanowire with Graphene Oxide Nanoscrolls as Structure‐Directing Agents

An innovative strategy is proposed to synthesize single‐crystal nanowires (NWs) of the Al³⁺ dicarboxylate MIL‐69(Al) MOF by using graphene oxide nanoscrolls as structure‐directing agents. MIL‐69(Al) NWs with an average diameter of 70±20 nm and lengths up to 2 μm were found to preferentially grow along the [001] crystallographic direction. Advanced characterization methods (electron diffraction, TEM, STEM‐HAADF, SEM, XPS) and molecular modeling revealed the mechanism of formation of MIL‐69(Al) NWs involving size‐confinement and templating effects. The formation of MIL‐69(Al) seeds and the self‐scroll of GO sheets followed by the anisotropic growth of MIL‐69(Al) crystals are mediated by specific GO sheets/MOF interactions. This study delivers an unprecedented approach to control the design of 1D MOF nanostructures and superstructures.     

Exploring meso-/microporous composite molecular sieves with core-shell structures

A series of core–shell‐structured composite molecular sieves comprising zeolite single crystals (i.e., ZSM‐5) as a core and ordered mesoporous silica as a shell were synthesized by means of a surfactant‐directed sol–gel process in basic medium by using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a template and tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) as silica precursor. Through this coating method, uniform mesoporous silica shells closely grow around the anisotropic zeolite single crystals, the shell thickness of which can easily be tuned in the range of 15–100 nm by changing the ratio of TEOS/zeolite. The obtained composite molecular sieves have compact meso‐/micropore junctions that form a hierarchical pore structure from ordered mesopore channels (2.4–3.0 nm in diameter) to zeolite micropores (≈0.51 nm). The short‐time kinetic diffusion efficiency of benzene molecules within pristine ZSM‐5 (≈7.88×10^?19 m² s^?1) is almost retainable after covering with 75 nm‐thick mesoporous silica shells (≈7.25×10^?19 m² s^?1), which reflects the greatly opened junctions between closely connected mesopores (shell) and micropores (core). The core–shell composite shows greatly enhanced adsorption capacity (≈1.35 mmol g^?1) for large molecules such as 1,3,5‐triisopropylbenzene relative to that of pristine ZSM‐5 (≈0.4 mmol g^?1) owing to the mesoporous silica shells. When Al species are introduced during the coating process, the core–shell composite molecular sieves demonstrate a graded acidity distribution from weak acidity of mesopores (predominant Lewis acid sites) to accessible strong acidity of zeolite cores (Lewis and Brønsted acid sites). The probe catalytic cracking reaction of n‐dodecane shows the superiority of the unique core–shell structure over pristine ZSM‐5. Insight into the core–shell composite structure with hierarchical pore and graded acidity distribution show great potential for petroleum catalytic processes.