Microwave heating synthesis of supported sorbents

This paper reports a microwave heating method for effective synthesis of supported sorbents and catalysts. This microwave synthesis process is based on thermal dispersion of active species, facilitated by the microwave energy, into the internal pore surface of microporous support. Dealuminated Y (DAY) zeolite-supported CuO and CuCl sorbents were prepared by this method for SO2 removal and industrial gas separation, respectively. The prepared sorbents were characterized by X-ray diffraction and nitrogen adsorption/desorption to obtain information about their pore structure and the degree of dispersion of the active species on the surface of support. Dispersion of CuO and CuCl was achieved on the internal pore surface of the DAY zeolite by the microwave heating method. The DAY zeolite-supported CuO sorbents prepared by the microwave heating method adsorb up to 2.18 mmol/g SO2 when exposed to air containing 0.8% SO2 at 500 degrees C. The DAY zeolite-supported CuCl sorbent adsorbs 2.29 mmol/g of C2H4 at 98 kPa of C2H4 pressure and room temperature. Much shorter processing time and lower heating temperature are required by the microwave heating method than the conventional heating method for preparation of both sorbents prepared in this work. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.