A novel Ag-loaded 4 Å zeolite as an efficient catalyst for epoxidation of styrene

In this study, a novel Ag-loaded 4 Å zeolite was synthesized through the combined action of strong ultrasound and a high-voltage electrostatic field (the Z-Ag-UE) and its catalytic activity was evaluated in the epoxidation of styrene. The prepared catalysts were characterized using XRD, SEM, XPS, BET, TG, ICP-OES. The results showed that the silver evenly dispersed inside the octahedral 4 Å zeolite structure rather than being attached to the surface of the material like in the impregnation method, and this Ag-loaded 4 Å zeolite had a high surface area, uniform particle size distribution, and excellent high temperature thermal stability. The catalytic performance of the Ag-loaded 4 Å zeolite was investigated by varying the reaction conditions such as the amount of catalyst, temperature, and reaction time. Under optimized conditions, the Ag-loaded 4 Å zeolite showed high selectivity and conversion for the epoxidation of styrene, achieving a conversion rate of up to 98% and a selectivity of 94%. In particular, the catalyst had excellent recyclability and was reused more than fifteen times with the catalytic performance remaining unchanged. This method of loading metal prepared under external field conditions provides a new method and idea for future research in related fields.