Mechanism of Si Island Formation in SAPO-34

With the aim of understanding the Si island formation in SAPO-34, we have carried out a computational mechanistic study. Briefly, the Si island formation in SAPO-34 is explained by three successive reactions. First, the framework Si atom is removed from the framework through the action of four water molecules. Second, the hydrogarnet defect generated by the desilication is healed by an available H3PO4 molecule. Third, the extra framework Si­(OH)4 species inserts in the framework position of a phosphorus atom while, in a concerted fashion, “kicking out” the phosphorus atom as a H3PO4 extra-framework species. When these exchanges of framework and extra-framework species are repeated, the isolated Si atoms may eventually cluster into Si islands.