An XPS study of the optimum loading of barium on high-silica MFI zeolite

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has been applied to the characterization of barium-impregnated MFI high-silica zeolites which are used for the conversion of methanol to light alkenes. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy provided information about the degree of the dispersion of the various barium loadings on the silicalite structure, and this information helped in elucidating the observed relationship between the activity/selectivity of the catalysts and the barium loading. The XPS results also helped in predicting that the performance of the catalyst would be optimized at 4 wt% Ba loading which was found to agree with the catalytic conversion of methanol to light alkenes.