A green route of isobutane-butene alkylation catalyzed by Y zeolite modified with synergistic F-containing solution

Fast deactivation is a long-standing problem for zeolite catalyzed isobutane-butene alkylation that hinders its massive industrialization, and the optimization of the zeolites' acidity and pore structure is the key problem. A synergistic F-containing solution modification method was proposed to improve the diffusion performance without damaging the zeolites' acidity. The low-temperature ammonium fluoride treatment precise partly opened the cage windows of the zeolites to increase the acidity accessibility and diffusion performance. And the following acid treatment of ammonium fluosilicate effectively removed the extra-framework aluminum generated by the former treatment to achieve a high acidity and Bro center dot nsted acid amount to Lewis acid amount ratio. The best modified zeolite Y-11 has a lifetime of 60 h, which is 32% higher compared to that of the reference zeolite. Our primary results provide a promising strategy for designing superior zeolite catalysts for alkylation reactions.

Automated summary

By optimizing the acidity and pore structure of zeolites using a synergistic F-containing solution modification method, the diffusion performance of isobutane-butene alkylation catalysts can be improved without damaging the acidity of the zeolites, leading to an extended lifetime.