Synthesis and Catalytic Applications of Novel Mesoporous Aluminosilicate Molecular Sieves

ABSTRACTThis paper reports on the synthesis of four series of mesoporous aluminosilicate molecular sieves (Al-MCM-41) and their catalytic applications. Four different aluminum compounds were examined as Al source in the hydrothermal synthesis of the mesoporous aluminosilicates of MCM-41 type, including pseudo boehmite (alumina), aluminum sulfate, aluminum isopropoxide, and sodium aluminate. Each Al source was examined at three different feed Si/Al ratios in the synthesis. XRD results show that there are differences in the dioo-spacings for the samples prepared with different Al sources: sodium aluminate > Al isopropoxide > Al sulfate > pseudo boehmite. Such differences reveal that Al incorporation in the framework increases in the following order: pseudo boehmite < Al sulfate < Al isopropoxide < sodium aluminate. XRD also indicates that the synthesized Al-MCM-41 samples have different crystallinity. 27Al NMR and 29Si NMR reveal that most of the Al species in the samples prepared with pseudo boehmite were present in octahedral coordination, whereas in other samples nearly all the Al species are tetrahedral (in the framework). The acid characteristics of the synthesized molecular sieves were characterized by temperature-programmed desorption of n-butylamine, and by using 1,3,5-triisopropylbenzene hydrocracking as probe reaction. The results of TPD and probe reaction clearly indicate that the Al source used for synthesis has a major impact on the acidic and catalytic properties of Al-MCM-41. The samples prepared with Al isopropoxide and sodium aluminate are better as catalysts than those with Al sulfate and pseudo boehmite. We also explored the potential of mesoporous molecular sieves as support for noble metal hydrogenation catalysts and metal sulfide-based hydrotreating catalysts. Pd and Pt-loaded mesoporous molecular sieves were prepared and applied for hydrogenation of naphthalene and phenanthrene. The results show that mesoporous molecular sieve-supported catalysts are much more active than alumina- and titania-supported catalysts. The data for dibenzothiophene hydrodesulfurization suggest that Al-MCM-41 supported Co-Mo may be effective for deep desulfurization of distillate fuels.