Methods for making molecular sieves

Details Methods for making molecular sieves Methods for making molecular sieves

2001-04-09

2003-10-14

Sample, David (Department: 1755)

Chemistry of inorganic compounds

Zeolite

C423S716000, C423SDIG002, C423SDIG002, C423SDIG002, C423SDIG003, C423S305000, C423S306000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06632415

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for producing molecular sieves.
BACKGROUND
Molecular sieves are a commercially important class of crystalline materials. They have distinct crystal structures with ordered pore structures which are demonstrated by distinct X-ray diffraction patterns. The crystal structure defines cavities and pores which are characteristic of the different species. Natural and synthetic crystalline molecular sieves are useful as catalysts and adsorbents. The adsorptive and catalytic properties of each molecular sieve are determined in part by the dimensions of its pores and cavities. Thus, the utility of a particular molecular sieve in a particular application depends at least partly on its crystal structure. Because of their unique sieving characteristics, as well as their catalytic properties, molecular sieves are especially useful in such applications as gas drying and separation and hydrocarbon conversion. The term “molecular sieve” as used herein refers to a material having a fixed, open-network crystalline structure, that may be used to separate hydrocarbons or other mixtures by selective occlusion of one or more of the constituents, or may be used as a catalyst in a catalytic conversion process.
Zeolitic Molecular Sieves
One type of molecular sieve is a crystalline zeolite. Crystalline zeolites may be divided into two general types based on crystal structure considerations. One type includes zeolites having a SiO
2
/Al
2
O
3
molar ratio in the crystalline lattice typically less than 12, which are conventionally prepared without an organic templating agent. Many of these zeolites also contain sodalite substructures, and have a tetrahedral atom density of less than about 15 TO
2
/1000 Å
3
. Zeolites having these general characteristics include, for example, zeolites A, N-A, ZK-4, faujasite, X, Y, ZK-5 and.
A number of processes have been offered for preparing crystalline zeolites of this type within discrete particles. For example, Howell, et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 3,119,660 teaches a method for producing crystalline metal aluminosilicate zeolite by reacting preformed bodies of clay particles in an aqueous reactant mixture including alkali metal oxide. Similar processes for preparing zeolites from formed bodies, which may contain zeolitic seed crystals, in alkali solutions are also taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,144 to Pryor, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,753 to Brown, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,777,006 to Rundell et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,119,659 to Taggart et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,773,690 to Heinze et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,977,120 to Sakurada et al and GB 2 160 517 A. U.S. Pat. No. 3,094,383 teaches a method of forming an A type zeolite by aging a homogeneous reaction mixture out of contact with an external aqueous liquid phase but under conditions to prevent the dehydration of the mixture. GB 1 567 856 discloses a method of preparing zeolite A by heating an extruded mixture of metakaolin powder and sodium hydroxide.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,058,586, Chi et al. discloses a method for crystallizing zeolites within formed particles containing added powdered zeolite, where the formed particles furnish all of the liquid needed for crystallization. Crystallizing the particles in an aqueous alkaline solution is not required using the process of Chi et al.
Verduijn, in WO 92/12928, teaches a method of preparing binder-free zeolite aggregates by aging silica-bound extruded zeolites in an aqueous ionic solution containing hydroxy ions. According to the disclosure of Verduijn, the presence of zeolite crystals in the extrudate is critical for making strong crystalline zeolite extrudates. Verduijn, et al., in EPO A1/0,284,206, describe a method of preparing binderless zeolite L by forming silica and preferably 10-50 wt % preformed zeolite L crystallites into particles, and then reacting the particles with an alkaline solution containing a source of alumina to form the zeolite L. More recently, similar methods have been proposed for preparing high silica zeolitic materials. Conventional methods for preparing high silica materials, having a SiO
2
/Al
2
O
3
molar ratio of greater than about 10, and more typically greater than about 20, typically involves crystallizing the zeolites from aqueous solution. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,702,886 to Argauer, et al., teaches a method of preparing ZSM-5 from a solution containing tetrapropyl ammonium hydroxide, sodium oxide, an oxide of aluminum or gallium, an oxide of silica or germanium, and water. The digestion of the gel particles is carried out until crystals form. The crystals are separated from the liquid and recovered.
A variation of the preparation procedure involves using clay as a source of alumina in preparing high silica zeolites. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,007 discloses a method for preparing a crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite, specifically ZSM-4 or ZSM-5, from a reaction mixture where at least about 70 weight percent of the alumina is provided by an alumina-containing clay added to the reaction mixture. EPO A2/0,156,595, discloses the preparation of crystalline zeolites having a silica to alumina mole ratio greater than 12 and a Constraint Index of 1 to 12 by forming a mixture of seed crystals, a source of silica, a source of alumina and water into shaped particles, which are then crystallized in an aqueous reaction mixture containing a source of alkali cations. It is also taught that alumina-containing clay may be used as an alumina source. U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,705 is directed to a catalytic cracking catalyst comprising an additive prepared by the in-situ crystallization of a clay aggregate disclosed in EPO A2/0,156,595. U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,659 teaches methods for increasing the silica content of a zeolite supported on a matrix, where the matrix may be a clay.
Special methods for preparing the reaction mixture from which a zeolite may be crystallized have also been proposed. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,542 a dried hydrogel containing silica and alumina is contacted with a fluid medium containing an organic templating agent and maintained at specified crystallization conditions to form a crystalline aluminosilicate.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,892 a reaction mixture containing at least about 30 weight percent solids content of alumina and precipitated silica is taught for preparing zeolites. The method of preparing the reaction mixture allows agitation of the mixture during crystallization, in spite of the high solids content of the mixture.
Zeolite crystallization from reaction mixtures initially containing a gel-like phase in equilibrium with an excess of liquid phase is disclosed in R. Aiello, et al., “Zeolite Crystallization from Dense Systems”, Materials Engineering 1992, Vol. 3, n. 3, pp.407-416.
The traditional conventional method of manufacturing molecular sieves involves providing the reaction mixture with a sufficient amount of water to cause the crystallization to begin in the presence of an added external water phase. Such a high-water mixture is prepared in a gel tank and pumped into an autoclave reactor which may comprise a double-walled vessel through which hot oil is conducted to heat the mixture. The reactor includes a mechanical paddle-type of stirrer which stirs the mixture to distribute the heat. As noted above, crystallization occurs in the presence of a separate or external water phase, requiring that special measures be taken to separate water from the molecular sieves. Also, the separated water may have to be treated for environmental reasons.
More recently, methods have been devised for the manufacture of molecular sieves which avoids problems associated with the above-disclosed high-water methods. In that regard, low-water methods have been described, for example, in ZEOLITES, 1992, Vol 12, April/May, p. 343; ZEOLITES 1990, vol 10, November/December, p. 753; ZEOLITES 1989, vol 9, November, p. 468; Nature, Vol 317(12), September 1985, p. 157; and J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun., 1988, p. 1486. J. chem. Soc., Chem. Commun., 1993, p. 659 describes a kneading method for sy

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