A derivatograph was used to follow the modification of the skeleton structure and thermal stability of zeolites in sodium and ammonium forms. Analogous investigations were carried out by independent methods such as IR and X-ray. Comparison showed good agreement between the results. The controlled dealumination of the Y-type zeolite enhanced the thermal stability.Modified zeolites prepared by treatment with ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (H4 EDTA) and subsequent activation profoundly alter their structures. Samples treated in this manner show differences in both catalytic activity and adsorptional properties, depending on the SiO~/A120 3 ratio. In particular, the crystallinity of the Y-type zeolite is maintained up to the elimination of roughly one-half of the aluminium [1 ], and then it begins to fall off while the catalytic activity incracking reactions rises [2]. The zeolite-based catalysts containing protons and polyvalent cations are more active [3] as compared to alkali metal zeolites.As regards the cation-deficient zeolites, the thermal behaviour of Y-type zeolites exchanged with ammonium ions has been reported [4,5] to some extent. The effects of the variation of the silica-alumina ratio and the bed geometry on the dehydroxylation and thermal stability of the products have been studied [4] and related [5] to the residual Na § ions in the Y-type zeolite. Kerr [4,6] proposed that ultrastabilization involved the removal of framework aluminum, which is held as AI(OH)~-, AI(OH) 2 § or A13 § ions. The present study was undertaken to obtain additional evidence on the thermal stability of dealuminated zeolites by thermal, X-ray and IR.
ExperimentalBinder-free Y-type zeolites in the sodium (SK-40) and ammonium (SK-41) forms were obtained from Union Carbide (USA), dried at 120 ~ and kept for about a week over a saturated solution of ammonium chloride at room temperature. The chemical compositions of the dehydrated zeolites, determined by gravimetric analysis, were as follows:* NCL Communication No.