Abstract:
CRYSTALLINE ALUMINOSILICATE ZEOLITES HAVING SILICA TO ALUMINA MOLE RATIOS SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN PRIOR ART ZEOLITES ARE PREPARED BY A PROCESS WHEREIN A CONVENTIONAL CRYATALLINE ALUMINOSILICATE ZEOLITE IS CONTACTED WITH WATER AT AN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE AND THEN TREATED TO REMOVE ALUMINA FROM THE CRYSTAL LATTICE. THE WATER TREATMENT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED BY CONTACTING THE CRYSTALLINE ALUMINOSILICATE ZEOLITE WITH A GAS CONTAINING AT LEAST 2% WATER AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN 800 AND 1500*F. HIGHER CONCENTRATIONS OF WATER ARE PREFERRED, AND, IN A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT, THE WATER TREATMENT IS ACCOMPLISHED IN TWO STEPS; VIZ, BY AFIRST TREATING THE CRYSTALLINE ZEOLITE WITH A GAS CONTAINING AT LEAST 2% WATER, FOLLOWED BY TREATMENT WITH PURE STEAM. FOLLOWING THE WATER TREATMENT, AMOPHOUS ALUMINA MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE ZEOLITE MATERIAL BY CONTACTING WITH A DILUTE MINERAL ACID OR AN ORGANIC ACID CHELATING AGENT.