Enhancing catalytic activity with less metal resource by regulating zeolite topology

Big-ring topology of zeolite is crucial to the catalytic activity of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of nitrogen oxide (NOx). More works should explore how to increase the number of the big-ring topology. This work regulated ZSM-5 topologies by different acids and amino acids, exchanged Cu species into the regulated zeolites, and compared their SCR performances. L-aspartate- and L-cysteine-regulated ZSM-5 removed 67 ∼ 73 % of NO (1000 ppm, 15,000 h−1) at 150 °C. Their Cu contents were only 0.04 wt%. Under the same catalytic conditions, citric acid-regulated ZSM-5 only reached a conversion of 19 % with a Cu content of 0.15 wt%. After detailed characterizations, primary 10-membered ring (MR) on (200) plane of ZSM-5 was retained after mild treatment of the amino acids. At the same time, 5-MR on (351) and (352) planes were opened to form more 10-MR. 10-MR along (501) plane was reinforced. As a result, the 10-MR content was increased from 22 % (citric acid) to 32 % (L-aspartate and L-cysteine). The 10-MR-localized Cu was more effective than other species. Above results are in favor of understanding topology-activity relationship in zeolite. Synthesizing a more effective catalyst with less active metal is also helpful to resource saving.