Rapid synthesis of SAPO-34 molecular sieve with cheap template for improving MTO performance

Low-silicon SAPO-34 was rapidly synthesized with the assistance of citric acid using inexpensive triethylamine as a template. The effects of citric acid on the crystal structure, morphology, and acidity were investigated using XRD, SEM, FT-IR as well as ICP characterization methods. The results show that citric acid promotes the growth of SAPO-34, shortens the crystallization time and improves the yield of solids. Furthermore, citric acid facilitates the synthesis of low-silicon SAPO-34, which exhibits improved MTO catalytic performance. Compared with conventional SAPO-34, low-silicon SAPO-34 generated higher selectivity of ethylene and propylene.