Synthesis of nanosized ZSM-5 zeolite with intracrystalline mesopores

A series of nanosized ZSM-5 zeolite samples with intracrystalline mesopores has been synthesized using organosilane functioned fumed silica as silica source and tetrapropylammonium hydroxide as microporous structure directing agent. The organic moiety linked on the surface of fumed silica blocks the growth of zeolite crystal, forming the nanosized zeolite crystal and intracrystalline defects inside the nano-crystal. The formation of the mesopores is by bond-blocking function in crystallization. The XRD results indicate that the samples are high crystalline ZSM-5 and the TEM images show that the samples are nanosized with the size ca. 20 nm and the intracrystalline mesopores about 3 nm exist inside the nanosized crystal. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.