The choice of binder material, added to a zeolite-based catalyst body, can significantly influence the catalyst performance during a reaction, i. e. its deactivation and selectivity. In this work the influence of the binder in catalyst extrudates on the formation of hydrocarbon deposits was explored during the transalkylation of toluene with 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene (1,2,4-TMB). Using in situ UV-vis micro-spectroscopy and ex situ confocal fluorescence microscopy approach, coke species were revealed to predominantly form on the rim of zeolite crystals within Al 2 O 3 -bound extrudates. It was found that this was due to Al migration between the zeolite crystals and the Al 2 O 3binder creating additional acid sites near the zeolite external surface. In contrast, minimal isomerization of 1,2,4-TMB in the SiO 2 -bound extrudate allowed greater access to the zeolite internal pore network, creating a more homogeneous coke distribution throughout the zeolite crystals.

The influence of the binder material in an industrial-type catalyst material is often neglected, although the addition of a binder can cause a significant change in the performance of the catalyst.

The performance of zeolite‐based catalyst extrudates can be largely influenced by the choice of binder material. To investigate these binder effects in zeolite‐based catalyst extrudates in more detail, high spatiotemporal resolution techniques need to be further developed and employed. In this work, we present a new methodology to investigate binder effects in catalyst extrudates at different reaction pressures using operando UV‐vis diffuse reflectance (DR) micro‐spectroscopy coupled with on‐line gas chromatography. We have studied mm‐sized zeolite H‐ZSM‐5‐containing extrudates with either Al2O3 or SiO2 binder material, during the transalkylation of toluene with 1,2,4‐trimethylbenzene at 450 °C and at a pressure of either 1 or 5 bar. Using this technique, it was revealed that the binder material significantly influenced catalyst deactivation at different reaction pressures. By subsequent mapping of the cross sections of the cylindrical catalyst extrudates using UV‐vis micro‐spectroscopy, it was shown that the SiO2‐bound extrudate formed poly‐aromatic coke molecules homogeneously throughout the entire extrudate, whereas for the Al2O3‐bound extrudate a coke ring formed that moved inwards with increasing reaction time. Notably, the developed methodology is not limited to the transalkylation reaction, and can also be used to gain more insight into binder effects during a variety of important catalytic reactions.