Adsorber unit for volatile hydrocarbons comprising an adsorber material made from an iron-containing molecular sieve

1. An adsorber unit for volatile hydrocarbons for controlling the emission of volatile hydrocarbons, comprising a hydrocarbon adsorber material, wherein the adsorber material is an iron-containing molecular sieve and comprises a metal in the +1 oxidation state that is copper, silver or gold, wherein the content of iron is 0.1-10% by weight based on the total weight of the adsorber material, and wherein the proportion of the metal in the +1 oxidation state in the molecular sieve is 0.01-2% by weight based on the total weight of the molecular sieve, wherein the iron is introduced by solid state ion exchange, and the adsorber material has a desorption temperature for adsorbed hydrocarbons of 350° to 410° C.

2. The adsorber unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the molecular sieve is a molecular sieve based on silicon dioxide/aluminum dioxide/iron which has a ratio of SiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 of from 10:1 to 100:1.

3. The adsorber unit as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the molecular sieve is a zeolite which is ZSM-5 type, zeolite Y, zeolite BETA, chabazite, mordenite, erionite, ZSM-11, ZSM-12 or ZSM-23.

4. The adsorber unit as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the zeolite is a zeolite of the ZSM-5 type or a BETA zeolite.

5. The adsorber unit as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the zeolite has a ring opening formed from 8, 10 or 12 tetrahedra.

6. The adsorber unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the content of iron is 1-3% by weight based on the total weight of the adsorber material.

7. An adsorber unit zeolite for use in an adsorber unit as claimed in claim 1 , the adsorber unit zeolite being obtained by a process, wherein

a) a dry mixture of ammonium salts or N-containing compounds, NH 3 /NH 4 zeolites and an iron compound, and also a compound of a monovalent metal, is prepared,

b) the above components are mixed intimately in a mill and

c) heat treated at a temperature of at least 300° C., and

d) finally cooled to room temperature, wherein the adsorber unit zeolite contains iron and a metal in +1 oxidation state that is copper, silver or gold, and has an iron content of 0.1-10% by weight based on the adsorber unit zeolite, and a proportion of metal in +1 oxidation state of 0.01-2% by weight based on the total weight of the adsorber unit zeolite, and wherein the adsorber unit zeolite has a desorption temperature for adsorbed hydrocarbons in the range of 350° to 410° C.

8. The adsorber unit zeolite as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the zeolite material used in the process is a ZSM-5 type, MFI type or BETA type, in each case in the ammonium form.

9. The adsorber unit zeolite as claimed in claim 8 , wherein in the process the mixture is exposed to a nitrogen-containing atmosphere during the heat treatment.

10. The adsorber unit zeolite as claimed in claim 9 , wherein in the process the nitrogen-containing atmosphere contains ammonia or amine.