Zeolite incorporation in chip-based microreactors

• A method for the incorporation of zeolite coatings in glass chip-microreactors is described.
• A glass pretreatment provides a single step for the activation of the microchannel surface resulting in an improved zeolite coating.
• The zeolite coatings formed are uniform, have a high surface area and Brønsted acidity.

A method for the incorporation of zeolite coatings in glass chip-based microreactors has been developed. The use of a fluoride-based hydrothermal pretreatment method provides a microchannel surface with high roughness, good wettability, and a silica nutrient source in a single pretreatment step. This pretreated glass surface is ideal for the subsequent in-situ zeolite hydrothermal synthesis which enables the formation of zeolite coatings within the chip-based microreactor. The optimization of the zeolite precursor suspension in terms of aluminium and silica source and amount, allows for the formation of zeolite coatings which are uniform, have high surface area and high Brønsted acidity.

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