Strategy for the synthesis of zeolite Y by artificial-fish-reef breeding negative crystals

Abstract

Y zeolite is presently used as an important active component in oil refining catalysts. The efficient synthesis of NaY zeolite still faces many huge challenges. Herein, a novel method for the rapid synthesis of nano-plate-like small crystal-sized NaY zeolite through an artificial-fish-reef-breeding negative crystal strategy is reported. It was discovered that cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM) could act as an artificial fish-reef to breed negative crystals, which promoted NaY zeolite nucleation and accelerated the crystallization of NaY zeolite. The crystallization time of NaY zeolite was shortened by 9 h. The relevant crystallization mechanism was investigated. Nano-plate-like (10–50 nm) small-sized (100–200 nm) NaY zeolite crystals with exceptional thermal stability and a large total volume (0.447 cm³ g⁻¹) were synthesized. After steam treatment, the nano-plate-like small-sized USY-CPAM zeolites possessed reasonable acid sites distribution, endowing them with superior cracking activity for heavy reactant molecules.