Synthesis of highly accessible ZSM-5 coatings on SiC foam support for MTP reaction

•Highly accessible ZSM-5 coatings were grown on SiC foam support.•The synthesis processes were optimized for improving the coating adhesion.•The obtained composite catalyst showed high stability and yield in MTP reaction.

Highly accessible porous ZSM-5 coating with high loading and high adherence was successfully grown on SiC foam support using a two-step coating and steam-assisted crystallization process. The zeolite precursor gel pre-coated on the SiC foam surface and existed in the upper mixed coating layer functioned as a binder to firmly bond the SiC support and the pre-coated zeolite crystals with the formation of a dense ZSM-5 transition layer. The high porosity was achieved from the pre-coated zeolite crystals. The ZSM-5/SiC foam composite catalyst prepared by the proposed method showed higher propylene selectivity and propylene to ethylene (P/E) ratio, lower C1–C4 saturated hydrocarbons and aromatics and as well as higher stability in comparison to that prepared by conventional in situ hydrothermal process in methanol to propylene reaction.

Graphical abstractZSM-5 coating with accessibility grown on SiC foam support exhibited substantial stability and selectivity improvement in comparison to that prepared by conventional in situ hydrothermal process in MTP reaction.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide