Process for altering the physico-chemical properties of faujasite y-type zeolites

A process for modifying the physical and chemical properties of Faujasite Y-type zeolites, comprising:

• a) contacting a Faujasite Y-type zeolite pure, with a short-chain polyol, in a concentration ranging from 0.01 to 1 g of solid per milliliter of polyol, at a temperature ranging from 100 to 260° C., for a time from 0.5 to 8 hours, to form a gel;
• b) adding to the gel obtained in a) an ammonia salt and/or a mixture of ammonia salts, which can be added in powder form and/or dissolved in an aqueous and/or an alcoholic solution, stirring the mixture for 15 to 60 min, subjecting the mixture to hydrothermal treatment at 95-250° C., for from 5 to 40 hours, cooling the mixture to 15 to 25° C.;
• and;
• c) recovering the product obtained in b) by means of filtration and/or centrifugation techniques, washing with bidistilled water and drying at 80-120° C., then submitting the solid to a thermal treatment at 350 to 550° C., for 2 to 8 hours, at a heating rate from 1 to 3° C./min, to obtain a modified Faujasite Y-type zeolite, wherein its sodium content is reduced to 75% with respect to the pristine zeolite, and a mesoporous material with an average pore size ranging from 2 to 100 nm.