Identification and Measurements of Strong Brønsted Acid Site in Ultrastable Y (USY) Zeolite

By using the IRMS-TPD method in which IR (infrared) and MS (mass spectroscopy) worked together, acid sites of USY (ultrastable Y) zeolite were studied. A new band of OH playing a role of Brønsted acid was clearly detected on Na2H2−ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)-treated USY at 3595 cm-1 during an elevation in temperature after the adsorption of ammonia. MS-measured TPD (temperature-programmed desorption) of NH3 and IR-measured TPD of the NH4 + cation coincided well to show that this zeolite consisted of the Brønsted acid sites. The MS-TPD profile at higher temperatures corresponded to the IR-TPD of the 3595-cm-1 band, and therefore, this OH was identified as a strong acid site. From comparison between IR-TPD of OH and MS-TPD, numbers of three kinds of Brønsted OH (i.e., those in super and sodalite cages of a Y zeolite structure) and created strong Brønsted acid site were quantified. On the other hand, strength of the Brønsted acid site ΔH was determined individually by a simulation method, where the corrected IR-TPD of OH was simulated based on the proposed equation. Thus, a new strong Brønsted acid site was identified in the EDTA-treated USY, and the amount and strength was measured quantitatively.