Template-free synthesis and modification of LTY, ZSM-5 and LTL zeolite catalysts and investigation of the catalytic pyrolysis of Saskatchewan boundary dam coal

In this study, new approaches were adopted toward the template-free synthesis and modification of LTY, LTL and ZSM-5 zeolites via the direct hydrothermal synthesis method, without using any organic structure directing agent or seeding gel. The original and modified zeolites were characterized by x-ray diffraction, Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy, solid state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analysis, and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. Moreover, the prepared zeolites were applied as catalysts in pyrolysis experiments in a bench scale horizontal reactor with Saskatchewan boundary dam coal, and their influences on the solid, liquid and gaseous products of this reaction were investigated using gas chromatography (GC), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GCMS) and CHNS/O elemental analysis. Furthermore, the influence of the catalysts on the pyrolysis kinetics was studied using thermogravimetric analysis.