Co-Crystalline ZSM-5/ZSM-11 Nanostructures for Alkylation of Benzene with Ethanol

The interzeolite transformation approach has been used extensively for the quick synthesis of zeolites at a lower cost. Herein, an interzeolite transformation method for the quick synthesis of co-crystalline ZSM-5/ZSM-11 (CDM-5) nanoaggregates has been developed by precisely controlling the synthesis parameters and using 1,6-hexamethylenediamine as an organic structure-directing agent. In contrast, the irregular CDM-5 zeolite block obtained from an amorphous aluminosilicate gel takes a longer crystallization time using the conventional method. Combined with the related results of characterization, UV-Raman spectra show that double 6-membered rings in the parent USY zeolite framework are broken, and an ordered aluminosilicate aggregate species (OAAS) containing 4-membered rings (4Rs) are formed during the interzeolite transformation. HRTEM and SEM images demonstrate that the block OAAS is dissolved into amorphous nanoparticles, followed by converting into CDM-5 nanoaggregates. These results reveal that an OAAS is essential for the synthesis of CDM-5 nanoaggregates via the interzeolite transformation method. In addition, the CDM-5 nanoaggregate catalyst exhibits superior stability and resistance to carbon deposition in the alkylation reaction of benzene with ethanol compared with the irregular block CDM-5 catalyst.