Aluminum content in certain zeolite structures can now be precisely controlled, opening new possibilities for petrochemical processing, fine chemicals production, and various other industrial applications. 

Zeolites are crystalline porous materials that contain organized channels and cavities. Incorporating aluminum atoms into their silica framework enables them to selectively activate chemical reactions at their acidic sites and function as catalysts in most industrial processes. 

However, the challenge when working with zeolites is achieving a silicon-to-aluminum (Si/Al) ratio below 100, especially in CON-type zeolites. Despite years of research, conventional methods have remained inadequate, but the recent development done by researchers at Japan’s Institute of Science Tokyo has changed that.

The research team led by Prof. Toshiyuki Yokoi developed a groundbreaking synthesis method they called zeolite blending. Their published study explained how zeolites with unattainable compositions crystallize by using multiple types of zeolites as base materials.

They added that Beta zeolite is an effective base material, as, when mixed with small amounts of MFI-type zeolite, it helps enhance the formation of CON-type structures with high aluminum content.

Prof. Yokio said this strategy allowed the team to achieve a Si/Al ratio of approximately 20 on CON-type zeolites, a feat that has never been done and an improvement from their initial run, where they synthesized CON-type zeolites with a Si/Al ratio of about 40. 

Besides a lower ratio, the high-aluminum CON-type zeolites have smaller particle sizes and improved Al content distribution than those synthesized using conventional post-treatment techniques. These characteristics prove helpful in methanol-to-olefin reactions and other applications in catalysis.

Read the full article here to learn more about the zeolite blending method. 

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