Time-resolved HE-XRD during methanol-to-olefins under pulsed conditions

The methanol-to-olefins (MTO) reaction is a key process in the C1 chemistry. MTO is heterogeneously catalysed by crystalline solid materials like zeolites. Many aspects of this reaction have been investigated also employing advanced synchrotron techniques such as in situ/operando powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). The main focus of these studies was mainly on catalyst deactivation and formation of coke precursors within the pores (unit cell expansion). Our aim is to study the MTO process applying time resolved high energy PXRD in order to assess the dynamic behavior of selected zeolite frameworks in dedicated transient experiments. We will i) look at the time-resolved changes in lattice parameters during and after short controlled pulses of methanol to study the dynamics of the framework in the active period of the catalyst; ii) we will correlate this behavior with the timing of release of the products, possibly indicating the direct dynamic involvement of the framework in the reaction