LAUSR

Hierarchical zeolite ZSM-58 was synthesized via a bottom-up synthesis method using varying amounts of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as mesopore-generating template. Resulting ZSM-58 samples were analyzed by X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and physisorption experiments with argon, propane and propene. The adsorption of a binary propane/propene mixture was determined by breakthrough experiments. Furthermore, thermal response measurements using InfraSORP technology were applied to investigate the kinetics of propene adsorption on microporous vs hierarchical ZSM-58 samples. The use of up to 5 wt % CNTs as secondary template in the synthesis gel results in formation of zeolite ZSM-58 with mesopore volumes up to 0.06 cm3 g–1, while maintaining a high degree of crystallinity as demonstrated via X-ray powder diffraction. A direct correlation between the relative mesopore volume (Vmeso/Vtotal) and the mass fraction of CNTs applied during zeolite synthesis was found. The enhanced adsorption rates o...