Xylene isomerization using zeolites in a gradientless reactor system

A gradientless reactor was used to study the xylene isomerization reaction over a series of cation‐exchanged (H+, Li+, Na+, and K+) ultrastable faujasite and on ZSM5 and silicalite to observe the effects of site modification on the reaction. Adsorption, diffusion, and kinetic parameters were determined in the presence of the reaction; the results generally agreed with the available literature data. The gradientless reactor and associated modeling techniques are shown to be effective tools in investigating catalyst behavior. Precise analytical techniques are required to directly measure the diffusion coefficient in the presence of reaction.