A facile way to improve zeolite Y-based catalysts' properties and performance in the isobutane-butene alkylation reaction.

Different amounts of SiO 2 were added to the Al 2 O 3 binders to investigate the binder effect on zeolite Y-based catalysts. The added SiO 2 improved the mesopore volume and acidity of the catalysts. Characterization results showed that the catalysts' acid amount increased with increasing the SiO 2 amount in the binder, which achieved maximum value when 12% SiO 2 was added to the binder. The doped SiO 2 in Al 2 O 3 binders improved the Al 2 O 3 phase transformation temperature, which is crucial for Al species to break out of the phase energy and migrate into the zeolite. The lifetime of catalyst Y-Al 2 O 3 -12SiO 2 is 3.7 times higher than that of Y-Al 2 O 3 -0SiO 2 , and the selectivity of the target products simultaneously improved by 7 percentage point. This work should bring some inspiration to the design and application of zeolite-based catalysts.