A facile way to improve zeolite Y-based catalysts' properties and performance in the isobutane–butene alkylation reaction

Different amounts of SiO(2) were added to the Al(2)O(3) binders to investigate the binder effect on zeolite Y-based catalysts. The added SiO(2) improved the mesopore volume and acidity of the catalysts. Characterization results showed that the catalysts' acid amount increased with increasing the SiO(2) amount in the binder, which achieved maximum value when 12% SiO(2) was added to the binder. The doped SiO(2) in Al(2)O(3) binders improved the Al(2)O(3) phase transformation temperature, which is crucial for Al species to break out of the phase energy and migrate into the zeolite. The lifetime of catalyst Y-Al(2)O(3)-12SiO(2) is 3.7 times higher than that of Y-Al(2)O(3)-0SiO(2), and the selectivity of the target products simultaneously improved by 7 percentage point. This work should bring some inspiration to the design and application of zeolite-based catalysts.