PREPARATION OF HIGHLY SELECTIVE ZEOLITE ZSM-5 MEMBRANES BY A POST-SYNTHETIC COKING TREATMENT

Zeolite ZSM-5 membranes with high n-butane:isobutane selectivities, e. g., 322 at 185 degrees C, are obtained by a selective deposition of co ke into non-zeolitic pores. The zeolite membranes are prepared by in s itu crystallization on either bare porous alpha-Al2O3 support disks or disks that are pretreated to include a diffusion barrier. The post-sy nthetic coking treatment is accomplished by impregnating these membran es with liquid 1,3,5-triisopropylbenzene (TIPB) for 24 h at room tempe rature and then calcining them in air at 500 degrees C for 2 h. Calcin ation at 500 degrees C for up to 30 h does not destroy the high n-buta ne:isobutane selectivity. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) experiments on two model pore systems ZSM-5 (5.5 Angstrom) and Vycor glass (40-50 Angstrom) suggest that micro-defects are selectively eliminated by th e TIPB coking treatment while the intracrystalline pore space of the Z SM-5 is not affected. The elimination of non-zeolitic pores results in a large increase of n-butane:isobutane pure gas flux ratio (45 vs. 32 0 at 185 degrees C) accompanied by a fourfold reduction of the n-butan e flux. The permeation experiments reveal that the n-butane flux incre ases nonlinearly with the partial pressure in the feed while the n-but ane:isobutane pure gas flux ratio remains relatively unchanged.