Large pore zeohte molecular sieves

A surprisiagly large number of important iadustrial-scale separations can be accompHshed with the relatively small number of zeoHtes that are commercially available. The discovery, characterization, and commercial availabiHty of new zeoHtes and molecular sieves are likely to multiply the number of potential solutions to separation problems. A wider variety of pore diameters, pore geometries, and hydrophobicity ia new zeoHtes and molecular sieves as weU as more precise control of composition and crystallinity ia existing zeoHtes will help to broaden the appHcations for adsorptive separations and likely lead to improvements ia separations that are currently ia commercial practice. 

Zeolite catalysts play a vital role in modern industrial catalysis. The varied acidity and microporosity properties of this class of inorganic oxides allow them to be applied to a wide variety of commercially important industrial processes. The acid sites of zeolites and other acidic molecular sieves are easier to manipulate than those of other solid acid catalysts by controlling material properties, such as the framework Si/Al ratio or level of cation exchange. The uniform pore size of the crystalline framework provides a consistent environment that improves the selectivity of the acid-catalyzed transformations that form C-C bonds. The zeoHte structure can also inhibit the formation of heavy coke molecules (such as medium-pore MFl in the Cyclar process or MTG process) or the desorption of undesired large by-products (such as small-pore SAPO-34 in MTO). While faujasite, morden-ite, beta and MFl remain the most widely used zeolite structures for industrial applications, the past decade has seen new structures, such as SAPO-34 and MWW, provide improved performance in specific applications. It is clear that the continued search for more active, selective and stable catalysts for industrially important chemical reactions will include the synthesis and application of new zeolite materials. 

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