Specific Sorption Sites for Nitrogen in Zeolites NaLSX and LiLSX

Specific sorption sites for nitrogen, N₂, in NaLSX and LiLSX zeolites were investigated using a DRIFT spectroscopic method. Sorption of molecular hydrogen, H₂, by NaLSX or LiLSX zeolite at 77 K with DRIFT control of perturbation of sorbed molecules allowed to discriminate two or three different types of specific sorption sites in the respective zeolites. Their H–H stretching frequencies are 4077 and 4081 cm^–1 for NaLSX, and 4061, 4084 and 4129 cm^–1 for LiLSX. With reference to an independent investigation by methods of both sorption thermodynamics and molecular modeling for N₂ sorption on LiLSX, the first two of the corresponding bands were ascribed to H₂ sorption on lithium cations, Li⁺, localized in supercages of the faujasite, FAU, zeolite framework at sites SIII and SIII, while the latter band most likely belongs to H₂ sorption on Li⁺ cations at sites SII, and on hydroxyl groups, OH. Sorption of N₂ by Li⁺ cations at sites SIII and SIII is the strongest, resulting in a decrease of intensity of the corresponding DRIFT bands that stem from subsequent H₂ sorption. Nitrogen sorption by Li⁺ cations at sites SII is much weaker. Sorption of N₂ on Na⁺ cations at sites SIII in NaLSX zeolite is also stronger than by Na⁺ cations at sites SII.