Ring size, aluminophosphate

The characteristics of aluminophosphate molecular sieves include a univariant framework composition with Al/P = 1, a high degree of structural diversity and a wide range of pore sizes and volumes, exceeding the pore sizes known previously in zeolite molecular sieves with the VPI-5 18-membered ring material. They are neutral frameworks and therefore have nil ion-exchange capacity or acidic catalytic properties. Their surface selectivity is mildly hydrophilic. They exhibit excellent thermal and hydrothermal stability, up to 1000 °C (thermal) and 600 °C (steam). 

The aluminophosphate molecular sieves have an interesting property for potential use as catalyst supports, due to their excellent thermal stabilities and unique structures. AIPO4-5 is known to retain its structure after calcination at 1000°C and have uni-directional channels with pore size of 8 A bounded by 12-membered rings [2]. To utilize molecular sieves as catalyst support, chemical interactions between the molecular sieve and active component, chemical stabilities, and surface structures must be determined. However, iittle attempt has been made to clarify the surface structures or properties of catalytically active components supported on the aluminophosphate molecular sieves. 

Extra-large-pore zeolites (at least 14-membered rings with pore sizes around 1.0 nm)—e.g., aluminosilicates CIT-5, UTD-1. aluminophosphates (VPI-5, JDF-20, gallophosphate. cloverite). 

In particular, Alberti et al. (1991) proposed zeolite-based sensors for detection of hydrocarbons such as butane and Balkus et al. (1997) used thin film aluminophosphate (AlPO)-5 molecular sieve as the dielectric phase in a capacitance-type chemical sensor for CO and CO. AlPO-n is a family of phosphorus molecular sieves which, similar to zeolites, have ordered molecular-sized pores. The AlPO-5 structure used for the dielectric layer consists of four- and six-membered rings of alternating phosphate and aluminum ions bridged by oxygen. These rings are arranged to produce one-dimensional channels 0.73 nm in diameter. The properties of AlPO-n are reviewed in detail by Ishihara and Takita (1996), and one of the attractive properties of these materials is their heat stability. The properties of zeolites as they relate to zeolite-based gas sensors are discussed in a special section in Vol. 2. 

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