【Frontiers of HaiChuan Technology】A new type of zeolite molecular sieve synthesized by a Chinese research team for the efficient conversion of heavy oil

Thread Content

This post was last edited by Desert Fish on 2024-12-13 at 06:51. Chinese research team synthesizes new type of zeolite molecular sieve. December 12, 2024. In the world of chemistry, there is a material called “zeolite molecular sieve”; thanks to its tiny pores, it can precisely select the molecules we need, and it plays an important role in various fields such as chemical engineering, energy, and environmental protection. However, the micropore sizes of traditional zeolite molecular sieves are all less than 2 nanometers, making it impossible to handle large-sized macromolecules. 　　Recently, a research team from the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, successfully synthesized a new type of zeolite molecular sieve—ZMQ-1 (Qingneng Institute Molecular Sieve Material No. 1), which solved the aforementioned problems. This achievement was published in the international academic journal Nature on December 12, 2024. 　　A team led by Associate Researcher Lu Peng and Professor Valentin Valtchev employed innovative synthetic strategies to design and synthesize a bisquaternary phosphonium cation as an organic structure-directing agent, thereby preparing the ZMQ-1 molecular sieve with a three-dimensional pore system composed of 28×10×10 unit cells. By collaborating with Professor Xiaodong Zou from Stockholm University and utilizing a range of advanced characterization techniques, including three-dimensional rotational electron diffraction microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction, the research team successfully deciphered the complex structure of ZMQ-1. The 28-membered ring size of this molecular sieve is 22.32×11.84 Å, which falls within the range of mesoporous sizes and allows large molecules to pass through easily. A structurally stable intrinsic mesoporous zeolite molecular sieve for the efficient conversion of heavy oil. The ZMQ-1 molecular sieve exhibits high thermal and hydrothermal structural stability (up to 800°C and 1000°C respectively), as well as numerous acidic catalytic sites. In the heavy oil catalytic cracking reaction, compared with existing commercial molecular sieve catalysts, ZMQ-1 exhibits higher selectivity for light fuels (total selectivity for gasoline and diesel >80%), and it also produces less coke, liquefied petroleum gas, and dry gas as by-products. The successful synthesis of this new type of zeolite molecular sieve provides new ideas and directions for the development of molecular sieve materials. Its unique mesoporous structure and stable chemical properties mean that ZMQ-1 can be used in the chemical industry to handle larger molecules, such as in the value-added processing of heavy crude oil to produce low-carbon olefins (ethylene, propylene, and butylene), diesel, and aviation kerosene, or in the catalytic conversion of bio-oils and biomass to produce biodiesel, high-value functional sugars, aldehydes, and alcohols among other important compounds. Furthermore, this material holds broad application prospects in fields such as the production of fine chemicals and gas adsorption storage. This can not only improve production efficiency but also reduce energy waste and environmental pollution. Against the backdrop of energy conservation, consumption reduction, and carbon emission cuts in the context of the \"dual carbon\" goals, the development and application of this new type of zeolite molecular sieve material will provide an opportunity for the upgrading of industries involved in petrochemicals, coal chemicals, and fine chemical processes.