Beyond Lattice Models of Activated Transport in Zeolites: High-Temperature Molecular Dynamics of Self-Diffusion and Cooperative Diffusion of Benzene in NaX

Experimental determination of electrostatic properties of Na-X zeolite from high resolution X-ray diffraction

High-resolution single crystal X-ray diffraction is used for the first time to obtain the charge density distribution in dehydrated Na-X zeolite. The electron density is extracted according to the Hansen & Coppens multipolar-model, from which Pval-κ-type atomic charges are derived. In order to compare the experimental electron density with theoretical calculations on zeolites and other minerals, a topological analysis is performed to derive AIM charges and electron density properties at bond critical points. The results are compared with that described in the literature. Finally, the electrostatic potential is evaluated in a periodic, mean field approach (disordered cation distribution in the Fd3[combining macron] space group) and for a given distribution of the cations (space group P1). The electrostatic energy is, then, derived in the neighbourhood of cation sites where the molecules are usually physisorbed.

The role of molecular interactions and interfaces in diffusion: Permeation through single-crystal and polycrystalline microporous membranes

In this second paper of a two part series, we investigate the implications of the interfacial phenomenon, caused by adsorbate-adsorbate interactions coupled with the difference in adsorbate density between the zeolite and the gas phase, upon benzene permeation through single-crystal and polycrystalline microporous NaX membranes. The high flux predicted for thin single-crystal membranes reveals that substantially enhanced flux should be expected in submicron films. Simulations also indicate that the standard local equilibrium assumption made for larger scale membranes is inapplicable at the submicron scale associated with nanometer size grains of thin and/or polycrystalline membranes. Apparent activation energies predicted for benzene permeation through NaX membranes via kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) simulations are in good agreement with laboratory experiments. The simulations also uncover temperature-dependent flux pathways leading to non-Arrhenius behavior observed experimentally. The failure of the Darken approximation, especially in the presence of the interfacial phenomenon, leads to a substantial overprediction of the flux. Simulations of polycrystalline membranes suggest that this same interfacial phenomenon leads to resistance that can reduce flux by an order of a magnitude with only moderate polycrystallinity.

Diffusion of Alkane Mixtures in Zeolites: Validating the Maxwell−Stefan Formulation Using MD Simulations

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been carried out for pure components, binary, ternary, and quaternary mixtures containing methane, ethane, propane, and n-butane in FAU zeolite at 300 K for a range of molecular loadings Theta, approaching saturation limits. The n-dimensional matrix of Maxwell-Stefan (M-S) diffusivities [Delta], defined by (N) = -rho[Delta][Gamma](nabla Theta), was determined along with the self-diffusivities, D(i)(,self). Additionally, configurational-bias Monte Carlo (CBMC) simulations were carried out to obtain the pure component sorption isotherms and the saturation capacities Theta(i)(,sat). From the information on Delta(ij), D(i)(,self), and Theta(i)(,sat), the various M-S diffusivities were determined: (1) component D(i), reflecting the interactions of the species i with the zeolite, self-exchange D(ii), and (2) binary exchange D(ij). The obtained data underline the major advantage of the M-S formulation that at a given occupancy, theta = Sigma(N)(n)(i=l)Theta(j)/Theta(j)(,sat) within the zeolite, the D(i) has nearly the same value for species i whether this species is present on its own or in a mixture with other species. The same advantage holds, too, for the self-exchange D(ii); the value at a given occupancy, theta, is the same whether determined from pure component, binary, or ternary mixture data. For all binary and ternary mixtures studied, it was verified that the binary exchange coefficient D(ij) can be interpolated from the corresponding values of the self-exchange parameters D(ii) and D(jj) using a generalization of the interpolation formula developed earlier (Skoulidas et al., Langmuir, 2003, 19, 7977). We also demonstrate that if the occupancy dependence of the pure component parameters D(i) and D(ii) are modeled properly, this information is sufficient to provide very good estimates of the matrix [Delta] for mixtures with 2, 3, or 4 components over the entire range of loadings. Simulations of mixture diffusion of alkanes in MFI and LTA confirm that the above-mentioned advantages of the M-S formulation also hold for these zeolite topologies.