Catalytic cracking of isopropylbenzene over hybrid HZSM-12/M41S (M41S = MCM-41 or MCM-48) micro-mesoporous materials

The catalytic cracking of isopropylbenzene was investigaded over hybrid ZSM-12/MCM-41 and HZSM-12/MCM-48 micro-mesoporous materials, in order to verify the effect of the acid site of the accessibility of mesoporous channels combined with the acid sites into the zeolite. The hybrid materials were synthesized by the hydrothermal method using the template mechanism. The obtained materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction and BET isotherms using nitrogen adsorption-desorption at 77 K. The X-ray diffraction patterns presented characteristic peaks of the microporous and mesoporous phases. These analysis revealed the formation of ordered hexagonal MCM-41 or cubic MCM-48 mesoporous phases, associated with the ZSM-12 structure. In order to generate acid sites, the materials were ion exchanged with ammonium chloride solution. The calcined hybrid materials were tested as catalyst for cracking of isopropyl-benzene, using a fixed bed reactor at 450 ^oC and nitrogen gas. The catalytic tests showed that the HZSM-12/AlMCM-41 and HZSM-12/MCM-48 hybrid materials have potential for use in cracking reactions, bening more active than the zeolite or the M41S alone. The catalytic activities of the hybrid materials can be associated with a synergistic effect between the acid sites present on the zeolitic phase and the mesoporous phase. In order to verify how the structure of the hybrid materials may affect and control their catalytic performances, the results were compared with HZSM-12 physically mixed with MCM-41 and MCM-48.