Sustainable Synthesis of Core-shell Structured ZSM-5@Silicalite-1 Zeolite

Core-shell structured ZSM-5@Silicalite-1 zeolite could effectively hinder the deactivation of catalyst surface. Currently, organic structure directing agents(OSDAs) are necessary in the conventional route for the synthesis of this core-shell zeolite under hydrothermal conditions, which is costly and environmental-unfriendly. In this research, a synthesis of the core-shell structured ZSM-5@Silicalite-1 zeolite with a strategy of alcohol filling and zeolite seeding without any organic template or solvent is exhibited. The obtained products are well characterized by X-ray powder diffractometer(XRD), scanning electron microscopy(SEM), transmission electron microscopy(TEM), N2 sorption isotherms, solid magic angle spinning(MAS) NMR, temperature-programmed-desorption of ammonia(NH3-TPD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS) techniques, in order to confirm the core-shell structure. More importantly, the core-shell structured ZSM-5@Silicalite-1 zeolite exhibits a long lifetime and a high p-xylene selectivity in the alkylation of toluene with methanol, compared with the conventional ZSM-5 catalyst.