Ultrasonic pretreatment of gel composition followed by
hydrothermal
synthesis produces the nanocrystallite zeolite beta (ZB) with crystal
sizes of 10.3, 22.6, and 9.1 nm for ZB-1, ZB-2, and ZB-3, respectively.
The effect of ultrasonic pretreatment and the (SiO2/Al2O3) ratio of gel composition on physical, textural
properties, and also on the catalytic activity of ZB catalysts with
increasing time on stream (TOS) was investigated. The specific surface
area and mesopore volume for ZB-1, ZB-2, and ZB-3 are 438, 380, and
429 m2/g and 0.17, 0.05, and 0.14 cm3/g, respectively.
The activity studies of ZB-1 and ZB-3 catalysts were confirmed that
the anisole conversion initially increased with TOS until it attained
the maximum value and then started decreasing further with TOS due
to the deactivation of the catalyst caused by the strong interaction
of the product with the acidic sites in the mesopore region. However,
in the case of ZB-2, the anisole conversion (>45%) was sustained
for
a longer TOS due to its smaller particle size, low mesopore volume,
and more acidic sites in the micropore volume that are inclusively
made for retardation in the catlytic deactivation rate. The CHNS and
TGA analysis of the spent catalysts confirm that ZB-1 and ZB-3 catalysts
are susceptible for a significant coke formation attributed due to
strong product retention in their large mesopore volume, which lead
to the catalytic deactivation.