Ethanol dehydration was investigated over commercial H-FER, H-MFI, H-MOR, H-BEA, H-Y and H-USY zeolite samples, and alumina and silica alumina for comparison. The catalysts were characterized using FT-IR spectroscopy of the surface OH groups and of adsorbed CO and pyridine. UV–vis, Raman and TG-DTA were applied to characterize coke, formed more on H-MOR and H-BEA. H-zeolites are definitely more active than silica alumina and alumina on catalyst weight base. The H-MOR sample is the most active but the H-MFI samples with Si/Al2 ratios 280 and 50 show higher reaction rates per Al ion, H-FER and faujasites show highest ethylene yield (99.9% at 573 K). At lower temperature and higher space velocities, diethyl ether is formed with high yield (>70% at 453–473 K on H-BEA and H-MFI (50)). Overconversion of ethylene mainly to aromatics is observed on H-MFI (50). The different behaviour of protonic zeolites can predominantly be explained by confinement effects on the different zeolite cavities
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.