Melting-assisted solvent-free synthesis of hierarchical SAPO-34 with enhanced methanol to olefins (MTO) performance

SAPO-34 zeolite with a butterfly patterned hierarchical pore system and high relative crystallinity was synthesized by a melting-assisted solvent-free route. Oxalic acid in the solid state was used as the etching agent through a facile thermal treatment of the parent SAPO-34. The resultant zeolite exhibited complete methanol conversion, high C2=–C4= selectivity (>91%) and a long lifetime in the MTO process.