Synthesis and characterization of partially crystalline nanosized ZSM-5 zeolites

Partially crystalline nanosize ZSM-5 with high surface area (678 m2/g) was synthesized successfully without using organic template by a two-step temperature process. Aluminum nitrate was used as aluminum source for the first time to synthesize ZSM-5 materials. The presence of MFI structure of the materials was analyzed by XRD, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy and TEM techniques. Addition of commercial HZSM-5 as a seeding agent to the reactants resulted an increase in crystallinity of the ZSM-5 sample and subsequent decrease in specific surface area. The partially crystalline samples exhibited low microporosity and remarkably high meso/macropore volume with pore diameters around 30 nm.