Optimizing the crystallinity and acidity of H-SAPO-34 by fluoride for synthesizing Cu/SAPO-34 NH3-SCR catalyst

A series of H-SAPO-34 zeolites were synthesized by a hydrothermal method in fluoride media. The as-synthesized H-SAPO-34 zeolites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), N₂ physisorption, temperature-programmed desorption of NH₃ (NH₃-TPD) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements. The results showed that a certain concentration of F⁻ anions promoted the nucleation and crystallization of H-SAPO-34. The H-SAPO-34 synthesized in the fluoride media showed high crystallinity, uniform particle size distribution, large specific surface area and pore volume, and enhanced acidity. Therefore, Cu/SAPO-34 based on the fluoride-assisted zeolite showed a broadened temperature window for the selective catalytic reduction of NO by NH₃ (NH₃-SCR) reaction due to the enhanced acidity of the zeolite and the improved dispersion of copper species.