Scientific Achievement
C-atoms tend to cluster around Al Brønsted acid sites during the initial stages of coke formation in a ZSM-5 zeolite during the methanol-to-hydrocarbons reaction. Coking leads to pore blockage and subsequent catalyst deactivation.
Significance and Impact
This study shows the importance of zeolite acid site densities on the nanoscale for controlling coke formation; this could lead to more efficient, longer lasting zeolite catalysts.
Research Details
– Atom probe tomography (APT) was used to probe the nanoscale spatial location and concentrations of C, Al, and Si within a single zeolite ZSM-5 crystal used in the methanol-to-hydrocarbons reaction. Distinct regions of the ZSM-5 crystal were selected for analysis, where changes in the Al content correlated directly with different levels of coke formation.
J. E. Schmidt et al., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 55, 11173 (2016). DOI: 10.1002/anie.201606099
