DEALUMINATION OF MORDENITE ZEOLITE AND ITS CATALYTIC PERFORMANCE EVALUATION IN m-XYLENE ISOMERIZATION REACTION

Mordenite zeolite with Si/Al = 18 was successfully synthesized by the hydrothermal method. This zeolite was modified by partially dealuminated in HNO3 at 70 degrees C. Our analysis showed that the surface area of modified mordenite was increased more than that of the mordenite zeolite. Acid leaching removes impurities and aluminium from the zeolite network, improving Si/Al ratio of the framework and increasing the external surface area of the zeolite. The catalytic performances of these synthesized catalysts were investigated for metaxylene isomerization reaction in a fixed bed reactor. The performances were then benchmarked with the performance of SAPO-11, a commercially available catalyst. The results showed that p-xylene/o-xylene ratio over the catalysts was found to be in the order: dealuminated mordenite > mordenite > SAPO-11, however dealuminated mordenite and SAPO-11 gave higher m-xylene conversion than that of the mordenite.