Catalytic activity of SAPO-34 molecular sieves prepared by using palygorskite in the synthesis of light olefins via CO2 hydrogenation

Abstract Palygorskite was used as a silicon and partial aluminum source to prepare SAPO-34 molecular sieves using diethylamine, triethylamine, morpholine and tetraethylammonium hydroxide as templates. The synthesized SAPO-34 molecular sieves were characterized by using the methods of XRD, SEM, EDS, BET, FT-IR, NH3-TPD, H2-TPR and TG. Composite catalysts of CuO-ZnO-Al2O3/SAPO-34 were prepared by mechanically mixing SAPO-34 molecular sieves with CuO-ZnO-Al2O3 and were used in the direct synthesis of light olefins via CO2 hydrogenation. The results showed that SAPO-34 molecular sieves prepared by acid-treated palygorskite using tetraethylammonium hydroxide as a template had a higher specific surface area, a greater CO2 conversion rate and higher light olefin selectivity. The CO2 conversion rate reached 53.5%, the light olefin selectivity reached 62.1%, and the yield reached 33.2% when the reaction conditions were as follows: reaction temperature 673 K, reaction pressure 3.0 MPa, volume ratio of CO2/H2 1:3 and 0.5 g composite catalyst.