Determination of Ca/NaY zeolite acidity by TG and DSC

The acid properties of the Ca/NaY zeolite were investigated by means ofn-butylamine desorption and thermal decomposition, using both thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The total acidity of the zeolite was calculated from the TG data, while DSC was used with the Borchardt-Daniels kinetic model to determine the relative acid strength of the catalyst, given in J per acid site. The enthalpies of these processes are proportional to the acid site strength in each specific temperature range.This work was supported by Conselho National de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq). The authors are very grateful to M. L. C. Rodrigues and C. I. Braga, from D. P. Instrumentos Científicos.