A novel approach to synthesize in-situ crystallized zeolite/kaolin composites with high zeolite content

Research Highlights
- A generic route for preparing in-situ crystallized zeolite/kaolin composite was developed;
- The alkali solution aided activation can high-effectively activate kaolin microspheres;
- The synthesized composites have high zeolite content yet outstanding attrition index;
- And the resulting composites show superior activity in fluid catalytic cracking.

We present an alkali solution aided (ASA) activation approach to activate kaolin microspheres and its application to synthesize in-situ crystallized zeolite/kaolin composite materials. Compared with conventional thermal activation methods, the ASA activation can high-effectively convert silicon and aluminum species in kaolin microspheres into active silica and alumina for synthesizing zeolite/kaolin composites, leading to a successful synthesis of zeolite/kaolin composites with high zeolite content and outstanding attrition resistance. When used as a fluid catalytic cracking catalyst, the resulting zeolite Y/kaolin composite gave high conversion efficiency of vacuum oil and high selectivity to valuable products.

63