Synthesis of high-silica CHA type zeolite by interzeolite conversion of FAU type zeolite in the presence of seed crystals

The influence of seed crystals on the interzeolite conversion of FAU type zeolite into CHA type zeolite was investigated in the presence of benzyltrimethylammonium hydroxide as a structure-directing agent under various hydrothermal synthesis conditions. Pure and highly crystalline CHA type zeolites with a wide range of Si/Al ratios were obtained in a shorter crystallization time as compared with those obtained without seed crystals. Furthermore, we achieved the first successful synthesis of high-silica CHA type zeolite in the absence of Na+ cations by increasing the seed content. The protonated CHA type zeolite with a Si/Al ratio of ca. 15 yielded the highest propylene yield of ca. 48 C-% in ethanol conversion into light olefins. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.