Process for the production of a core/shell zeolitic material having a CHA framework structure

1. A process for the preparation of a zeolitic material having a CHA framework structure, said zeolitic material comprising zeolite crystals having a core-shell structure, wherein said process comprises the steps of

(1) providing a mixture comprising one or more sources for Z 2 O 5 , one or more sources for X 2 O 3 , optionally one or more structure directing agents, and seed crystals having a CHA framework structure, wherein the CHA framework structure of the seed crystals comprises YO 2 , X 2 O 3 , and wherein the seed crystals have a diameter of 450 nm or greater; and

(2) crystallizing the mixture provided in (1) to afford zeolite crystals comprising a core of seed crystal provided in step (1) and a shell crystallized on the seed crystal;

wherein Z is a pentavalent element, Y is a tetravalent element, and X is a trivalent element,

wherein the framework structure of the seed crystals does not comprise Z 2 O 5 in addition to X 2 O 3 and YO 2 .

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the seed crystals have a diameter comprised in the range of from 450 nm to 50 μm.

3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the CHA framework structure of the seed crystals displays a Y:X molar ratio comprised in the range of from 1 to 100.

4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein one or more sources for YO 2 are further provided in step (1), wherein Y comprised in the seed crystals

and/or,

wherein Y further provided in step (1) in the one or more sources for YO 2 are, independently from one another, selected from the group consisting of Si, Sn, Ti, Zr, Ge, and combinations of two or more thereof.

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein X comprised in the seed crystals

and/or,

wherein X provided in step (1) in the one or more sources for X 2 O 3 are, independently from one another, selected from the group consisting of Al, B, In, Ga, and combinations of two or more thereof.

6. The process according to claim 1 ,

wherein Z provided in step (1) in the one or more sources for Z 2 O 5 are, independently from one another, selected from the group consisting of P, As, Sb, Bi, V, Nb, Ta, and combinations of two or more thereof.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the seed crystals comprise one or more zeolites selected from the group consisting of (Ni(deta) 2 )-UT-6, Chabazite, |Li-Na| [Al—Si—O]-CHA, DAF-5, Dehyd. Na-Chabazite, K-Chabazite (Iran), LZ-218, Linde D, Linde R, MeAPSO-47, Phi, SAPO-34, SAPO-47, SSZ-13, SSZ-62, UiO-21, Willhendersonite, ZK-14, ZYT-6, and combinations of two or more thereof.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more sources for Z 2 O 5 comprises one or more phosphates and/or one or more oxides and/or one or more acids of phosphorous.

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more sources for X 2 O 3 comprises one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of aluminate salts, aluminum hydroxides, aluminum oxide hydroxides, and mixtures of two or more thereof.

10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein one or more sources of YO 2 are provided in step (1), wherein the one or more sources for YO 2 comprises one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of silicas, silicates, and mixtures of two or more thereof.

11. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the X 2 O 3 :Z 2 O 5 molar ratio of the one or more sources of X 2 O 3 and of the one or more sources of Z 2 O 5 of the mixture provided in step (1) is comprised in the range of 1:(0.05-30), and

wherein if the mixture provided in step (1) further comprises YO 2 , the YO 2 :X 2 O 3 :Z 2 O 5 molar ratio of the mixture provided in step (1) is comprised in the range of (0.01-10):1:(0.05-30).

12. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the amount of seed crystals in the mixture provided in step (1) ranges from 1-90 wt.-% based on 100 wt.-% of the total amount of X 2 O 3 , Z 2 O 5 , and optional YO 2 respectively comprised in the one or more sources for X 2 O 3 , Z 2 O 5 .

13. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the mixture provided in step (1) further comprises a solvent.

14. The process according to claim 13 , wherein the solvent comprises water, wherein the H 2 O:Z 2 O 5 molar ratio of the mixture according to step (1) ranges from 5-100,

and/or,

wherein the H 2 O:X 2 O 3 molar ratio of the mixture according to step (1) ranges from 5-150.

15. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the crystallization in step (2) involves heating of the mixture.

16. The process according to claim 15 , wherein the heating in step (2) is conducted under autogenous pressure.

17. The process according to claim 15 , wherein the crystallization in step (2) involves the heating of the mixture for a period ranging from 1 to 50 h.

18. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the structure directing agent comprises one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of tetraalkylammonium compounds, dialkyl amines, heterocyclic amines, and combinations of two or more thereof.

19. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the zeolitic material having a CHA framework structure crystallized in step (2) comprises one or more zeolites selected from the group consisting of [Al—As—O]-CHA, [Al—Co—P—O]-CHA, [Co—Al—P—O]-CHA, [Mg—Al—P—O]-CHA, [Zn—Al—P—O]-CHA, AlPO-34, CoAPO-44, CoAPO-47, GaPO-34, MeAPO-47, MeAPSO-47, SAPO-34, SAPO-47, ZYT-6, and combinations of two or more thereof.

20. A zeolitic material having a CHA framework structure obtained according to the process of claim 1 .

21. A zeolitic material having a CHA framework structure, said zeolitic material comprising zeolite crystals having a core-shell structure, wherein

the core-portion of the zeolite crystals comprises YO 2 , X 2 O 3 , and optionally Z 2 O 5 in the zeolite framework structure of said core-portion, and wherein

the shell-portion of the zeolite crystals comprises Z 2 O 5 and X 2 O 3 in the zeolite framework structure of said shell-portion,

wherein Y is a tetravalent element, X is a trivalent element, and Z is a pentavalent element,

and

wherein the core-portion displays a diameter of 450 nm or greater,

wherein the Z:X molar ratio of the zeolite framework structure of the shell-portion of the zeolite crystals is greater than the Z:X molar ratio of the zeolite framework structure of the core-portion of the zeolite crystals by a factor of 1.5 or more.

22. The zeolitic material of claim 21 , wherein the core-portion displays a diameter comprised in the range of from 450 nm to 50 μm.

23. The zeolitic material of claim 21 , wherein the Z:X molar ratio of the zeolite framework structure of the shell-portion of the zeolite crystals is comprised in the range of from 0.01 to 20.

24. The zeolitic material of claim 21 , wherein the Y:X molar ratio of the zeolite framework structure of the core-portion of the zeolite crystals is comprised in the range of from 1 to 100, and

wherein if the zeolite framework structure of the core-portion of the zeolite crystals further comprises Z 2 O 5 in addition to YO 2 and X 2 O 3 , the zeolite framework structure of the core-portion displays a Y:nX:pZ molar ratio, wherein the value for the ratio (1+2p):(n−p) is comprised in the range of from 1 to 100.

25. The zeolitic material of claim 21 , wherein the shell-portion further comprises YO 2 in the zeolite framework structure of said shell-portion, and wherein Y comprised in the core-portion of the zeolite crystals

and,

Y comprised in the shell-portion of the zeolite crystals are independently selected from the group consisting of Si, Sn, Ti, Zr, Ge, and combinations of two or more thereof.

26. The zeolitic material of claim 21 , wherein X comprised in the core-portion of the zeolite crystals

and,

X comprised in the shell-portion of the zeolite crystals are independently selected from the group consisting of Al, B, In, Ga, and combinations of two or more thereof.

27. The zeolitic material of claim 21 ,

wherein Z comprised in the shell-portion of the zeolite crystals and Z, if present in the core-portion of the zeolite crystals, are independently selected from the group consisting of P, As, Sb, Bi, V, Nb, Ta, and combinations of two or more thereof.

28. The zeolitic material of claim 21 , wherein the core-portion of the zeolite crystals comprises one or more zeolites selected from the group consisting of (Ni(deta) 2 )-UT-6, Chabazite, |Li-Na| [Al—Si—O]-CHA, DAF-5, Dehyd. Na-Chabazite, K-Chabazite (Iran), LZ-218, Linde D, Linde R, MeAPSO-47, Phi, SAPO-34, SAPO-47, SSZ-13, SSZ-62, UiO-21, Willhendersonite, ZK-14, ZYT-6, and combinations of two or more thereof.

29. The zeolitic material of claim 21 , wherein the shell-portion of the zeolite crystals comprises one or more zeolites selected from the group consisting of [Al—As—O]-CHA, [Al—Co—P—O]-CHA, [Co—Al—P—O]-CHA, [Mg—Al—P—O]-CHA, [Zn—Al—P—O]-CHA, AlPO-34, CoAPO-44, CoAPO-47, GaPO-34, MeAPO-47, MeAPSO-47, SAPO-34, SAPO-47, ZYT-6, and combinations of two or more thereof.

30. The zeolitic material of claim 21 , wherein the BET surface area of the zeolitic material determined according to DIN 66135 ranges from 250 to 750 m 2 /g.

31. A method for ion-exchange comprising using a zeolitic material having a CHA framework structure according to claim 21 as a molecular sieve, or as an adsorbent.

32. A method for catalysis comprising using a zeolitic material having a CHA framework structure according to claim 21 as a catalyst and/or as a catalyst support.