Study on the adsorption of 1,5-, 1,6- and 2,6-dimethylnaphthalene on a series of alkaline and alkaline earth ion-exchanged faujasite zeolites

Adsorption of the equilibrium mixture of 1,5-, 1,6- and 2,6-dimethylnaphthalene (DMN) was investigated on a series of alkaline and alkaline earth ion-exchanged faujasite zeolites using pulse test and breakthrough techniques. It was found that the adsorption of the DMNs would proceed through a complex mechanism governing by at least molecular diffusion, acid-base interaction, preferential interaction with cation and molecular displacement. All ion-exchanged faujasite zeolites only provided rejective systems for 2,6-DMN and some of them were potential adsorbents for the 2,6-DMN purification.