Seed-Assisted Synthesis of Mordenite and Its Physicochemical and Catalytic Properties in Toluene Disproportionation

A series of MOR-type zeolites with a Si/Al ratio of ~5 were synthesized via seed-assisted hydrothermal crystallization. Their physicochemical properties were characterized by low-temperature nitrogen adsorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), and infrared spectroscopy of adsorbed pyridine (FTIR-Py). Their catalytic performance was tested in gas-phase toluene disproportionation. At a seed content of 10 wt % in the reaction mixture, the synthesized material exhibited the highest concentration of accessible Brønsted acid sites and the greatest catalytic activity.