SULFUR RESISTANT NOBLE METAL NANO-PARTICLES ENCAPSULATED IN A ZEOLITE CAGE AS A CATALYST ENHANCER

摘要

A sulfur resistant catalyst is taught having noble metal nano-particles contained in a zeolite cage having a final pore size of between about 2.9 .ANG. and about 3 .5 .ANG.. The zeolite cage is either directly synthesized, or the final pore size of the zeolite cage is reduced by post-treatments selected from chemical vapour deposition, chemical liquid deposition, cation exchange and combinations thereof to allow passage of hydrogen molecules into the cage while excluding organic sulfur molecules. Disassociated hydrogen species from reaction with the noble metal spill over through the zeolite pores to induce hydrogenation and to regenerate neighboring catalyst supports. A method is also taught for producing a sulfur resistant catalyst having noble metal nano-particles. The method involves either synthesizing a zeolite cage having a final pore size of between about 2.9 .ANG. and about 3.5 .ANG. or reducing the size of pores in the zeolite cage by a post treatment selected from chemical vapour deposition, chemical liquid deposition, cation exchange and combinations thereof.