Hydrothermal synthesis of high-silica mordenite by dual-templating method

High-silica mordenite (MOR) zeolites were hydrothermally synthesized by a dual-templating method using tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAOH) and hexamethyleneimine (HMI) as co-structure-directing agents (SDAs). The MOR zeolites were crystallized readily with the addition of NH4NO3 from the gels that had a Si/Al ratio up to 60. The synthesis resulted in highly crystalline MOR zeolites possessing a Si/Al ratio of 37.1. The chemical coordination states of the Al ions in the MOR zeolites were characterized by 27Al and 29Si NMR MAS spectroscopy. The Al ions occupied dominantly the tetrahedral sites in the framework. The dual-templating effect that the two amines exhibited on the zeolite crystallization was investigated by 13C MAS NMR spectroscopy and elemental analyses. Both organic SDA molecules were incorporated simultaneously into the zeolite products, corresponding to 65% of TEA+ and 35% of HMI. These two kinds of SDAs played a cooperative role in the nucleation and crystallization of the MOR structure under high silica conditions.

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► High-silica mordenite (MOR) zeolites were synthesized with a dual-templating method.
► The synthesis was carried out with the assistant of seeding crystals in the absence of fluoride media.
► Pure MOR phase was obtained from the synthetic gels with a Si/Al ratio up to 60.
► The Si/Al ratio of MOR product reaches 37.1.
► Two amines show a cooperative role in the crystallization of MOR.