Variation of Aluminium Distribution in Small-Sized ZSM-5 Crystals during Desilication

Hollow ZSM-5 zeolites of size below one micrometer can be produced by desilication of crystals with aluminium zoning. The parent crystals have a core–shell structure: the core part has nearly no aluminium, whereas the aluminium content in the shell increases when extending to exterior surface. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed the preservation of the crystalline shell after base leaching, but could not identify its subtle change. An increase of the Si/Al ratio of the surface was detected upon leaching the parent material to form the hollow zeolite by using ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy of substituted alkylpyridines. ²⁷Al MAS NMR showed that base leaching results in a reduced percentage of distorted tetrahedrally coordinated aluminium. The reprecipitation of dissolved species occurs and tetrahedrally coordinated tin atoms can thus be introduced to the shell framework. Overall, the formation of hollow ZSM-5 zeolites by desilication involves not only the removal of silicon-rich core, but also a reduced percentage of exterior aluminium-related acid sites, which should be considered while using hollow zeolites in acid-catalyzed reactions.