Effect of seed on synthesis of binder‐free mordenite for dimethyl ether carbonylation

Abstract

AbstractA series of binder‐free mordenite (MOR) zeolites were successfully prepared by hydrothermal conversion of shaped precursors containing aluminosilicate and MOR seeds. In the synthesis of seed crystals, hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) was used as a crystal growth inhibitor as well as a pore filler to adjust the morphology and introduce mesoporous pores. As a result, large aggregates, assembled nanosheets, and flowers‐like MOR were successfully synthesized with these MOR seeds. The effect of seed morphology on the performance of the binder‐free MOR was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), N2 adsorption–desorption, and NH3‐TPD characterization techniques. It was found that the mesopore volume of formed MOR was positively correlated with those of the seeds. The synthesized binder‐free MOR showed high activity (0.28 g methyl acetate gcat−1 h−1), 100% selectivity, and high stability in dimethyl ether (DME) carbonylation to methyl acetate, which can be attributed to the larger surface area and more mesopores. The synthesis of MOR nano‐assemblies via this cost‐effective strategy has a wide range of potential applications.