Study of water adsorption on EDTA dealuminated zeolite Y

Zeolite Y was synthesized and modified with EDTA dealumination procedure. The modified zeolites were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, chemical analysis and water adsorption measurements. We demonstrated that dealumination with bulk organic acid such as EDTA is able to reduce the original intense water affinity. Furthermore, it was found that dealumination with EDTA, in contrast with steaming and HCl dealumination, provides fully controllable, predictable and secure process of Al removal from the zeolites' frameworks. The shift of the adsorption isotherm in the low partial pressure range represents an interesting result for adsorption-based applications.