Mesoporous Fe2O3-supported ZSM-5 zeolites were prepared by carbon-templating and subsequently evaluated as photo-Fenton catalysts to degrade a dye used as a model heavy organic pollutant. The synthesis procedure of the mesoporous ZSM-5 zeolites was performed employing a nucleating gel and carbon particles as mesopores template. Thereafter, the precursor salt of the iron oxide (Fe2O3) was impregnated and then calcined to obtain the final catalyst. For comparison purposes, a conventional Fe2O3-supported ZSM-5 zeolite was also prepared. The results showed that the amount of intracrystalline mesopores formed in the ZSM-5 crystals was influenced by the amount of carbon added into the synthesis mixture. In comparison to the conventional prepared catalyst, the mesoporous Fe2O3/ZSM-5 ones showed an improved performance in the degradation of the target organic pollutant by the photo-Fenton reaction, which was attributed to the improvement of their textural properties as consequence of the mesopores generation.

This review presents the main characteristics and properties of microporous (zeolites) and ordered mesoporous materials, focusing on structural aspects and preparation. In addition, their use as heterogeneous catalysts are also discussed, with emphasis on their advantages and disadvantages. Due to difficulty in application of zeolites in the conversion of bulky molecules, the most relevant strategies of synthesis for the preparation of zeolitic materials with hierarchical pore structure was also analyzed, which allow this limitation to be overcome.

Zeólitas ZSM-5 contendo cobre ou cobalto, ou simultaneamente cobre e cálcio, ou cobalto e cálcio foram preparadas por troca-iônica e testadas como catalisadores na redução de NO a N2 na presença de metano ou propano. Nos catalisadores trocados com cobre, este se apresentou como Cu2+ e [Cu-O-Cu]2+ em sítios de compensação de carga. A quantidade do último cátion aumentou com o teor de cobre e na presença de Ca2+ e foi mais ativo na redução de NO; no entanto, em temperaturas superiores a 400 ºC a sua atividade diminuiu acentuadamente. Para os catalisadores trocados com cobalto, este foi encontrado como Co2+ em sítios de compensação ou Co3+ fazendo parte de precipitados extra-estruturais, sendo que, a quantidade de Co3+ diminuiu na presença de Ca2+. Nestes catalisadores a presença de cálcio não provocou diferenças significativas na atividade específica para a redução de NO ou para a oxidação do metano.

ZSM-5 catalysts containing either Cu or Co cations individually or Cu/Ca or Co/Ca cation combinations were prepared by ion exchange. These materials were tested as catalysts for the reduction of NO to N2 in the presence of propane or methane. Cu2+ and [Cu-O-Cu]2+ species were identified in ion exchangeable sites in the copper-containing catalysts. The amount of the latter cation increased with increasing copper content and in the presence of Ca2+ and was the most active in the reduction of NO. However, at temperatures higher than 400 ºC its activity decreased markedly. For cobalt-exchanged zeolites, Co2+ in charge-compensation sites or Co3+ in extra-framework precipitates were present in the catalysts. It was verified that the amount of Co3+ diminished with the presence of Ca2+. For the catalysts prepared in this study no significant differences in specific activity for the reduction of NO or for methane oxidation were observed in the presence of calcium.