INDUSTRIAL CATALYTIC APPLICATIONS OF MOLECULAR-SIEVES

Over the last three decades, zeolite molecular sieves have become the basic materials for a variety of catalysts used in a number of important commercial applications. Some of the factors that have contributed to the successful development of catalytic applications of molecular sieves are the ability to: Introduce strong acidity by the choice of crystal structure, by the modification of chemical composition, or as a result of the type and extent of ion exchange Incorporate the catalytic activity of various metals, whether in the crystalline lattice or ion exchanged within the molecular sieve structure Institute size and shape selectivity as a result of the regular spatial dimensions of the molecular size channels within the crystalline lattice This paper reviews the evolution of a number of industrial catalytic applications of molecular sieves with emphasis on the development of new families of molecular sieves with a potential for industrial catalytic applications.