Synthesis of ZSM-5 zeolite from diatomite for fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) application

Yang Li, Hongman Sun, Rui Feng, Youhe Wang, Fazle Subhan, Zifeng Yan, Zhongdong Zhang, Zhaoyong Liu
2015 Applied Petrochemical Research  
In this study, ZSM-5 zeolite was successfully synthesized hydrothermally from cheap and easily accessible natural mineral diatomite in the presence of tetrapropyl ammonium bromide. The pore structure, acidic sites and surface features of as-synthesized ZSM-5 zeolite were well characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, pyridine-adsorbed Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and N 2 adsorption. The analysis results revealed that the as-synthesized ZSM-5 zeolite exhibited
more » ... excellent hydrothermal stability, high specific surface area (223 m 2 g -1 ) and more acidic cites than diatomite. After mixing ZSM-5 zeolite with a FCC base catalyst, the catalytic performance was evaluated in a micro-fixed bed reactor using vacuum gas oil (VGO) as feedstock. The high surface area and more acidic sites of as-synthesized ZSM-5 zeolite played an important role in the production of light olefins (propylene and butylene) during catalytic cracking of VGO.
doi:10.1007/s13203-015-0113-2 fatcat:xa36uyaqwfag5dyudmnh4nq33q