Credit: Pohang University of Science & TechnologyA research team from POSTECH discovered a promising new zeolite. This zeolite is expected to prove pivotal in the oil refining, petrochemical and other industries. The journal Science published this research on July 2, 2021.Suk Bong Hong is a professor at POSTECH's Division of Environmental Science and Engineering. He and his team of researchers synthesized two thermally stable, three-dimensional (3D), large-pore (12-ring), zeolitesPST 32 (POSTECH No. 32) and PST-2, which are the hypothetical SBS/SBT intergrowth structures, were synthesized by a team of researchers led by Suk Bong Hong, a professor in the Division of Environmental Science and Engineering at POSTECH. They used the "multiple organic cation" (POSTECH No. Their structures were identified by the research team using both the Pohang Accelerator Lab's powder X-ray diffraction data and the Instituto de Nanociencia y Materiales de Aragon's electron microscopy analysis. Dr. Hwajun Liu of POSTECH, and Dr. Jiho Shin of Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology co-authored this study.Because of their chemical and structural stability, zeolites are microporous aluminosilicates with crystalline microporous structures. They can be used in catalysis or separation. Zeolite Y is a crucial catalyst in oil refining and other petrochemical processes. It has a large-pore cage-based (12-ring) structure that produces many types of chemical products. About 40% of world's crude oil production can be converted into essential products for daily life, such as gasoline.PST-32, and PST-2, which were recently developed, are structurally identical to zeolite. However they have super-cages that vary in size and shape and offer excellent thermal stability. These zeolites also have higher catalytic activities than zeolite, which can be used to make the basic fuels diesel.Professor Suk Bong Hong, who conducted the study, commented that PST-32 & PST-2 are game changers that could disrupt the market for catalysts.For better diffusion and greater catalyst efficiency, explore Rationally designing Hierarchical ZeolitesAdditional information: Hwajun L. et al., Synthesis of thermally-stable SBT and SBS/SBT Intergrowth Zeolites, Science (2021). Information from Science Hwajun Le et al. Synthesis of thermally-stable SBT and SBS/SBT Intergrowth Zeolites, (2021). DOI: 10.121/science.abi7208Pohang University of Science & Technology provides this service.
