Hierarchical zeolites comprising orthogonally stacked bundles of zeolite nanosheets for catalytic and adsorption applications

The synthesis of hierarchical MFI zeolites comprising orthogonally stacked bundles of zeolite nanosheets using a new type of triblock structure-directing agents (SDAs) was reported. The textural properties, including the degree of nanosheet branching and the spacing between adjacent nanosheets, could be controlled by changing the length of the linkers in the triblock SDAs. The hierarchical pure-silica silicalite-1 materials exhibited high and stable catalytic activity for the vapor-phase Beckmann rearrangement of cyclohexanone oxime with high selectivity of epsilon-caprolactam. On the other hand, the hierarchical ZSM-5 materials showed high adsorption capacity of Pb2+ ion following a Langmuir-type adsorption behavior. After being deposited with Pd nanoparticles, the hierarchical Pd/ZSM-5 nanocomposites exhibited high activity in the aqueous-phase hydrogenation of phenol to cyclohexanone at room temperature. The results show promise of the disclosed hierarchical zeolites for catalytic and adsorption applications.