In this study mesoporous zeolite Y (USY-F-AT) was prepared by fluorine−alkaline combined treatment method. The properties of USY-F-AT were characterized by XRD, N 2 physisorption, NH 3 -TPD, XPS, and TEM. USY-F-AT provided greater mesopore volume and surface area than conventional USY. NH 3 -TPD showed the USY-F-AT has many more acid sites and stronger acid strength compared with USY. Ni and Mo were impregnated into USY and USY-F-AT to form catalysts NiMo/(Al 2 O 3 + USY) and NiMo/(Al 2 O 3 + USY-F-AT), respectively. The hydrogenation activity and cracking ability of catalysts NiMo/ (Al 2 O 3 + USY) and NiMo/(Al 2 O 3 + USY-F-AT) were studied by hydrocracking reaction using naphthalene as model compound. The results showed that catalyst NiMo/(Al 2 O 3 + USY-F-AT) exhibited similar hydrogenation activity but much higher ring-opening ability in comparison with catalyst NiMo/(Al 2 O 3 + USY).

Solvent-free synthesis of zeolites is industrially efficient and sustainable with unique advantages such as morphological control, construction of hierarchical porosity, and organotemplate-free synthesis of siliceous zeolites.

A facile, direct, and template-free synthesis of intracrystalline mesoporous zeolite Y involving the introduction of Zr atoms under hydrothermal conditions is proposed for the first time. The presence of mesopores in the product was confirmed by N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms and transmission electron microscopy, while the results of UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, 29Si MAS NMR spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analyses confirmed that Zr atoms were successfully introduced to the zeolite framework. The density functional theory was used hypothesize the origin of the mesopores. Compared with conventional USY (ultrastable Y) zeolite, [Al,Zr]-USY zeolite has an excellent mesoporous structure because of the framework mesoporous defects of [Al,Zr]-NaY. A catalytic study performed using the cracking of 1,3,5-triisopropylbenzene as a model application revealed that the [Al,Zr]-USY zeolite exhibits superior activity to that of typical USY zeolite. Thus, this synthetic method provides a convenient and environmentally benign strategy for the synthesis of hierarchical zeolites, particularly for use in the fluid catalytic cracking industry, in which zeolites are routinely applied as cracking catalysts.

Directional regulation of polyol oxidation selectivity by constructing active sites with specific structure is a critical yet challenging problem. Herein, the specific Au‐based catalyst with efficient Au–Cu–ZnO interfacial active sites was successfully designed to promote selective oxidation of glycerol to 1,3‐dihydroxyacetone under mild conditions. X‐ray absorption spectroscopy revealed that the increased electron transfer between Au and Cu increases the content of Au+, resulting in the higher catalytic activity (turnover frequency: 402.5 h−1). Meanwhile, small AuCu alloy nanoparticles (ca., 2.7 nm) could be inserted into the ZnO lattice with the formation of Au(Cu)–O–Zn linkages, resulting in the enrichment of interfacial oxygen vacancies. These interfacial oxygen vacancies induce the activation and adsorption of the secondary hydroxyl group of glycerol on the interfacial active sites, improving the selectivity of 1,3‐dihydroxyacetone (83.4%). Furthermore, in situ Fourier transform infrared, structure‐dependent kinetics and density functional theory calculation demonstrated that Au–Cu–ZnO interfacial active sites could enhance the participation of OH* and oxygen vacancies in activating the OH and CH bonds, respectively, promoting the improvement of the catalytic performance. The outcome of this work offers new insights for the rational design of high effective catalyst for the selective oxidation of polyol.