UC Berkeley

Monte Carlo simulations are used to systematically investigate the effects of structural topology on the thermodynamics of n-alkanes adsorbed at Brønsted protons in zeolites having one-dimensional channel systems. In zeolites without cages, the enthalpy and entropy of adsorption (ΔHads-H+ and ΔSads-H+) at fixed pore-limiting diameter (PLD) generally increase (become less negative) as the ratio of the minimum to maximum channel diameter decreases, and are lowest when this ratio equals 1 (corresponding to approximately circular cross sections). The effect of a change in diameter ratio on the free energy of adsorption (ΔAads-H+) is weak because the changes in ΔHads-H+ and TΔSads-H+ largely cancel. The addition of cages having a largest-cavity diameter (LCD) greater than the PLD increases both ΔHads-H+ and ΔSads-H+. Replacing channels with cages of the same diameter does not change ΔSads-H+ significantly when the PLD is similar to the alkane length but decreases both ΔHads-H+ and ΔAads-H+ because of the greater surface area of cages relative to channels. The selectivity to adsorption via a central C-C bond vs a terminal bond when cages are absent is smallest for PLDs near the alkane length and, when cages are present, is even lower when the LCD exceeds the alkane length. This effect is attributed to more rotation of the alkane in cages vs channels. The results show that ΔAads-H+ at 773 K can be tuned by manipulating a characteristic dimension (LCD, PLD) and topology (e.g., adding cages) simultaneously, in order to circumvent the compensating changes in TΔSads-H+ and ΔHads-H+ that occur upon changing only one structural parameter. (Figure Presented).