SXI route to mesostructured materials from Fau and Beta zeolite precursors: A comparative study of their assembly behaviors in extremely acidic media

Mesoporous molecular sieves were synthesized from Beta and Fau zeolite precursors through S⁺X⁻I⁺ route under extremely acidic conditions in parallel (designated as M_Beta and M_Fau, respectively). The textural properties of M_Fau were different from its M_Beta counterpart but resembled normal MCM-41 silica from TEOS. Al content in M_Beta was almost equivalent to that in the initial Beta zeolite precursors, whereas only trace Al species was present in M_Fau from elemental analysis results. The hydrothermal stability of M_Beta after post-synthesis ammonia treatment was considerably improved compared with normal MCM-41 aluminosilicates, whereas the M_Fau after the same procedure was as unstable as normal MCM-41 silica. Thus, the assembly behaviors of Beta and Fau zeolite precursors were comparatively studied based on these results. The microstructure of Fau zeolite precursors were degraded by the extremely acidic condition, and Al species was dissolved into the synthesis mixture. However, Beta zeolite precursors survived the chemical attack of extremely acidic media and were incorporated into mesostructured framework as primary building units.