SCI和EI收录∣中国化工学会会刊

Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering ›› 2025, Vol. 88 ›› Issue (12): 21-33.DOI: 10.1016/j.cjche.2025.06.026

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Boron-modified ZSM-5 coated on honeycomb monolith surface for selective production of propylene from methanol

Mohammad Sohrabi1,2, Reza Alizadeh1,2, S. Majid Abdoli3   

  1. 1. Chemical Engineering Faculty, Sahand University of Technology, P.O.Box 51335-1996, Sahand New Town, Tabriz, Iran;
    2. Environmental Engineering Research Center (EERC), Sahand University of Technology, P.O.Box 51335-1996, Sahand New Town, Tabriz, Iran;
    3. Department of Earth Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584, Utrecht, the Netherlands
  • Received:2025-01-25 Revised:2025-06-21 Accepted:2025-06-23 Online:2025-08-13 Published:2026-02-09
  • Contact: Reza Alizadeh,E-mail:r.alizadeh@sut.ac.ir;S. Majid Abdoli,E-mail:s.abdoli1@uu.nl
  • Supported by:
    The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to Sahand University of Technology and Utrecht University for the project's financial support, as well as to the Iran Nanotechnology Initiative Council for their additional financial assistance.

Boron-modified ZSM-5 coated on honeycomb monolith surface for selective production of propylene from methanol

Mohammad Sohrabi1,2, Reza Alizadeh1,2, S. Majid Abdoli3   

  1. 1. Chemical Engineering Faculty, Sahand University of Technology, P.O.Box 51335-1996, Sahand New Town, Tabriz, Iran;
    2. Environmental Engineering Research Center (EERC), Sahand University of Technology, P.O.Box 51335-1996, Sahand New Town, Tabriz, Iran;
    3. Department of Earth Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584, Utrecht, the Netherlands
  • 通讯作者: Reza Alizadeh,E-mail:r.alizadeh@sut.ac.ir;S. Majid Abdoli,E-mail:s.abdoli1@uu.nl
  • 基金资助:
    The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to Sahand University of Technology and Utrecht University for the project's financial support, as well as to the Iran Nanotechnology Initiative Council for their additional financial assistance.

Abstract: A promising structured catalyst was developed through proper coating of boron-modified ZSM-5 using SiO2 and Al2O3-containing binders to investigate catalytic performance as well as mechanical stability of the catalyst in a monolithic reactor. The reference and boron-modified ZSM-5 catalysts were synthesized by hydrothermal route. The adherence strength of catalyst samples was characterized using ultrasonic vibration method and FESEM analysis. A series of comparative performance tests were also conducted in two reactors, including monolithic and extruded catalysts for the production of propylene from methanol at atmospheric pressure, reaction temperatures of 500 ℃, and methanol weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) of 1.5 h-1. Initial findings demonstrate that applying the B-modified ZSM-5 zeolite in a monolith reactor increased propylene selectivity by about 26% compared to the conventional extruded ZSM-5 catalyst. Moreover, silica bonded to the B-ZSM-5 catalyst in the monolithic reactor, owning sufficient adhesion properties; the proposed catalyst showed the best catalytic performance, with not only a high propylene selectivity (58.5%) but also a large propylene/ethylene (P/E) ratio (8.6). The findings attained in this work would be useful in the production of new efficient catalysts based on a zeolite-coated honeycomb monolith in the methanol-to-propylene process.

Key words: B-ZSM-5, Monolithic reactor, Binder, Mechanical stability, Coating, MTP

摘要: A promising structured catalyst was developed through proper coating of boron-modified ZSM-5 using SiO2 and Al2O3-containing binders to investigate catalytic performance as well as mechanical stability of the catalyst in a monolithic reactor. The reference and boron-modified ZSM-5 catalysts were synthesized by hydrothermal route. The adherence strength of catalyst samples was characterized using ultrasonic vibration method and FESEM analysis. A series of comparative performance tests were also conducted in two reactors, including monolithic and extruded catalysts for the production of propylene from methanol at atmospheric pressure, reaction temperatures of 500 ℃, and methanol weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) of 1.5 h-1. Initial findings demonstrate that applying the B-modified ZSM-5 zeolite in a monolith reactor increased propylene selectivity by about 26% compared to the conventional extruded ZSM-5 catalyst. Moreover, silica bonded to the B-ZSM-5 catalyst in the monolithic reactor, owning sufficient adhesion properties; the proposed catalyst showed the best catalytic performance, with not only a high propylene selectivity (58.5%) but also a large propylene/ethylene (P/E) ratio (8.6). The findings attained in this work would be useful in the production of new efficient catalysts based on a zeolite-coated honeycomb monolith in the methanol-to-propylene process.

关键词: B-ZSM-5, Monolithic reactor, Binder, Mechanical stability, Coating, MTP