Fabrication of a nano-sized ZSM-5 zeolite with intercrystalline mesopores for conversion of methanol to gasoline

Carbon deposition during methanol to hydrocarbons leads to the quick deactivation of ZSM-5 catalyst and it is one of the major problems for this technology. Decreasing the crystal size or introducing mesopores into ZSM-5 zeolites can improve its diffusion property and decrease the coke formation. In this paper, nano-sized ZSM-5 zeolite with intercrystalline mesopores combining the mesoporous and nano-sized structure was fabricated. For comparison, the mesoporous ZSM-5 and nano-sized ZSM-5 were also prepared. These catalyst samples were characterized by XRD, BET, NH₃-TPD, TEM, Py-IR and TG techniques and used on the conversion of methanol to gasoline in a fixed-bed reactor at T = 405 °C, WHSV = 4.74 h⁻¹ and P = 1.0 MPa. It was found that the external surface area of the nano-sized ZSM-5 zeolite with intercrystalline mesopores reached 104 m²/g, larger than that of mesoporous ZSM-5 (66 m²/g) and nano-sized ZSM-5 (76 m²/g). Catalytic lifetime of the nano-sized ZSM-5 zeolite with intercrystalline mesopores was 93 h, which was only longer than that of mesoporous ZSM-5 (86 h), but shorter than that of nano-sized ZSM-5 (104 h). Strong acidity promoted the coke formation and thus decreased the catalytic lifetime of the nano-sized ZSM-5 zeolite with intercrystalline mesopores though it presented large external surface that could improve the diffusion property. The special zeolite catalyst was further dealuminated to decrease the strong acidity. After this, its coke formation rate was slowed and catalytic lifetime was prolonged to 106 h because of the large external surface area and decreased weak acidity. This special structural zeolite is a potential catalyst for methanol to gasoline reaction.