Incorporation of copper histidine complexes into a zeolite Y matrix

Abstract

Preformed copper-histidine complexes were loaded into zeolite Y by ion exchange. The zeolite was found to contain a mixture of two different encaged complexes: a mono-histidine complex (A) and a bis-histidine complex (B). The initial copper concentration affects the composition of this mixture, with higher copper loading leading to lower A/B ratios. The dynamics of the ion exchange shows two different kinetic regimes: An initial rapid exchange takes place within an hour. In a subsequent phase, the exchange process is slowed down by orders of magnitude.