Hierarchy in zeolite catalysis : the influence of enhanced mesoporosity on the synthesis of renewable fuels and bio-based platform chemicals

Abstract EN

Faujasite (FAU), ZSM-5 (MFI), beta (BEA) and mordenite (MOR) zeolites were admitted to avariety of chemical treatments accompanied by surfactant templating strategy, aiming tointroduce the intracrystalline mesoporosity effectively.

The resulting materials were tested assolid acid catalysts for esterification of the oleic acid as a common model impurities found inbio-oil feedstoks.

It was found that the esterification of oleic acid can be enhanced by thepresence of strong acid sites in zeolites and their improved accessibility.

Overall, mesostructured FAU zeolite demonstrated an improved catalytic performance as a result ofincreasing accessibility of the zeolite active sites.