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Visualizing Dealumination of a Single Zeolite Domain in a Real‐Life Catalytic Cracking Particle
Author(s) -
Kalirai Sam,
Paalanen Pasi P.,
Wang Jian,
Meirer Florian,
Weckhuysen Bert M.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201605215
Subject(s) - zeolite , fluid catalytic cracking , catalysis , cracking , particle (ecology) , molecular sieve , materials science , chemical engineering , chemistry , mineralogy , inorganic chemistry , organic chemistry , geology , oceanography , engineering
Abstract Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts play a central role in the chemical conversion of crude oil fractions. Using scanning transmission X‐ray microscopy (STXM) we investigate the chemistry of one fresh and two industrially deactivated (ECAT) FCC catalysts at the single zeolite domain level. Spectro‐microscopic data at the Fe L 3 , La M 5 , and Al K X‐ray absorption edges reveal differing levels of deposited Fe on the ECAT catalysts corresponding with an overall loss in tetrahedral Al within the zeolite domains. Using La as a localization marker, we have developed a novel methodology to map the changing Al distribution of single zeolite domains within real‐life FCC catalysts. It was found that significant changes in the zeolite domain size distributions as well as the loss of Al from the zeolite framework occur. Furthermore, inter‐ and intraparticle heterogeneities in the dealumination process were observed, revealing the complex interplay between metal‐mediated pore accessibility loss and zeolite dealumination.