Simultaneous improvement of accessibility and hydrophobicity in zeolites: water-tolerant nanosized crystals

• Grant number: 23/10544-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: February 01, 2024
• End date: January 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Technology
• Principal Investigator: Leandro Pierroni Martins
• Grantee: Leandro Pierroni Martins
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Iago William Zapelini ; Silvia Helena Santagneli

Abstract

This proposal aims to study the synthesis of nanosized zeolites in discrete particles ("single crystals"), smaller than 100 nm, and their applications as catalysts. The synthesis of nanosized zeolites poses an important challenge for their catalytic applications: the reduction in crystal size leads to a large amount of SiOH silanol groups on the surface, generated due to interrupted crystal growth. This impairs the material's thermal stability, especially in hot solvents (for liquid phase reactions), or may be responsible for triggering coke formation reactions (for gas/vapor phase reactions), which are responsible for deactivating the catalyst. In some catalytic reactions, the presence of a high amount of silanol groups can increase the hydrophilicity of the surface, impairing the catalyst's performance in reactions with water. In this way, nanosized zeolites will be modified during or after synthesis with hydrophobic groups (organic or inorganic) to increase stability and tolerance to water under reaction conditions. The catalytic applications of modified zeolites will be studied in liquid phase condensation reactions (such as glycerol ketalization, Knoevenagel condensation, for example) and in vapor phase reactions, in which the reduction of the reaction path is a key factor in overcoming the problems generated by the formation of coke (such as in MTO and ETO reactions, for example). (AU)

Scientific publications

(5)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DA SILVA, JULIANA FLORIANO; ZAPELINI, IAGO WILLIAM; FERRACINE, EDILENE DEISE DA SILVA; MINTOVA, SVETLANA; CARDOSO, DILSON. Exploring surface silanols in mesoporous Na-LTA zeolite to enhance its catalytic activity in knoevenagel condensation by grafting amino groups. Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, v. 378, p. 6-pg., 2024-07-17. (23/10544-0, 18/21136-1, 21/08326-9)

PAZIN, LEONARDO H.; ZAPELINI, IAGO W.; SANTAGNELI, SILVIA H.; SAD, MARIA EUGENIA; PADRO, CRISTINA; MARTINS, LEANDRO. Ordinary hydrophobicity of mesoporous faujasites boosting the catalytic ketalization of glycerol with acetone. APPLIED CATALYSIS A-GENERAL, v. 678, p. 8-pg., 2024-04-06. (23/03158-6, 18/01258-5, 22/10732-8, 23/10544-0, 22/13453-2, 19/12486-1)

MARQUES, JOSE HENRIQUE; FELICIANO PEREIRA, ELEN MARIA; MARTINS, LEANDRO. Hierarchization of a large chabazite crystal shaped with hydrogen difluoride and its catalytic performance in the MTO reaction. APPLIED CATALYSIS A-GENERAL, v. 692, p. 9-pg., 2025-01-18. (14/50938-8, 23/10544-0, 19/12486-1, 19/27018-3)

PEREIRA, ELEN MARIA FELICIANO; LOPEZ-CASTILLO, ALEJANDRO; MARTINS, LEANDRO. Evolution of active intermediates in MTO reaction on a Chabazite catalyst. Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, v. 389, p. 10-pg., 2025-03-05. (23/10544-0, 23/01953-3, 19/12486-1, 24/10909-0, 19/12501-0)

LIMA, DIEGO S. D.; ZAPELINI, IAGO W.; SILVA, LAURA L.; MINTOVA, SVETLANA; MARTINS, LEANDRO. Impacts of ball-milling on ZSM-5 zeolite properties and its catalytic activity in the two-phase glycerol ketalization with acetone. CATALYSIS TODAY, v. 441, p. 8-pg., 2024-06-12. (18/01258-5, 22/01789-6, 22/10732-8, 23/10544-0, 21/08326-9, 19/12486-1)