Assessment of the Improvement of Effective Diffusivity over Technical Zeolite Bodies by Different Techniques

Technical zeolite bodies with additional porosity have been prepared with the intention to improve effective diffusivity. The latter has been assessed by three different techniques, combining a simple one as uptake measurements (thermogravimetric analysis) to a more sophisticated pulsed-field gradient-nuclear magnetic resonance method. Inverse gas chromatography provided further complement to the aforementioned techniques by mimicking realistic operating conditions (temperature and flow). The three methods assessed an enhancement in the effective diffusivity for the samples where mesopores or macropores were created. Useful insights concerning the interactions between the binder and the zeolite were gained, showing a strong impact on the effective diffusivity within the catalyst body.