Study on the synthesis of MFI and FER in the presence of n-butylamine and the property of n-butylamine in a confined region of zeolites

ZSM-5 and ferrierite have been successfully hydrothermally crystallized in a gel system of sodium aluminosilicate using n-butylamine (n-BA) as structure directing agent. The zeolite crystals obtained were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectra (IR), Raman spectra, thermal analysis (TG/DTA), elemental analysis (EA), inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry (ICP) and C-13 NMR spectroscopy. The location and charge of the n-BA present within the solid materials were found to be significant, and it is possible to identity the nature of the organic species occluded in the channel system of the as-synthesized zeolites. n-BA is occluded in its protonated form together with dibutylamine in ZSM-5, while incorporated intact in its protonated form in ferrierite. Furthermore, the oxidation of n-BA restricted in zeolites by H2O2 has been studied. It is found that the restricted organic species in zeolites were oxidized by H2O2, and the oxidation products are different from the bulk reaction. The adsorption tests illustrated that the as-synthesized zeolites and their oxidized products have a high adsorption capacity for Ni(II). This work not only opens new opportunities for further research of zeolites and inorganic hybrids, but also provides a new idea for the application study of the SDAs present in molecular sieves.