Finned zeolite catalysts

Heng Dai, Yufeng Shen, Taimin Yang, Choongsze Lee, Donglong Fu, Ankur Agarwal, Thuy Thanh Le, Michael Tsapatsis, Jeremy C. Palmer, Bert M. Weckhuysen, Paul J. Dauenhauer, Xiaodong Zou, Jeffrey D. Rimer

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

133 Scopus citations

Abstract

There is growing evidence for the advantages of synthesizing nanosized zeolites with markedly reduced internal diffusion limitations for enhanced performances in catalysis and adsorption. Producing zeolite crystals with sizes less than 100 nm, however, is non-trivial, often requires the use of complex organics and typically results in a small product yield. Here we present an alternative, facile approach to enhance the mass-transport properties of zeolites by the epitaxial growth of fin-like protrusions on seed crystals. We validate this generalizable methodology on two common zeolites and confirm that fins are in crystallographic registry with the underlying seeds, and that secondary growth does not impede access to the micropores. Molecular modelling and time-resolved titration experiments of finned zeolites probe internal diffusion and reveal substantial improvements in mass transport, consistent with catalytic tests of a model reaction, which show that these structures behave as pseudo-nanocrystals with sizes commensurate to that of the fin. This approach could be extended to the rational synthesis of other zeolite and aluminosilicate materials.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1074-1080
Number of pages7
JournalNature Materials
Volume19
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 1 2020

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.

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