Methods addressing aging in flocculated molecular sieve catalysts for hydrocarbon conversion processes

A method for formulating a molecular sieve catalyst composition, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a synthesized molecular sieve having been recovered in the presence of a flocculant;
• (b) thermally treating the synthesized molecular sieve at a temperature from about 50° C. to about 250° C. and under other conditions sufficient to form a thermally treated synthesized molecular sieve having a first LOI less than 26%;
• (c) combining the thermally treated synthesized molecular sieve, a binder, and optionally a matrix material to produce an formulated molecular sieve catalyst composition having a first micropore surface area;
• (d) aging the formulated molecular sieve catalyst composition for at least three months;
• and
• (e) analyzing the aged, formulated molecular sieve catalyst composition to determine a second micropore surface area, wherein the second micropore surface area is not more than 3% lower than the first micropore surface area.

A method for formulating a molecular sieve catalyst composition, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a synthesized molecular sieve having been recovered in the presence of a flocculant;
• (b) thermally treating the synthesized molecular sieve at a temperature from about 50° C. to about 250° C. and under other conditions sufficient to form a thermally treated synthesized molecular sieve having a first LOI less than 26% and a first micropore surface area;
• (c) aging the thermally treated synthesized molecular sieve for at least two months;
• (d) analyzing the aged, thermally treated molecular sieve to determine a second micropore surface area, wherein the second micropore surface area is not more than 3% lower than the first micropore surface area;
• (e) combining the aged, thermally treated synthesized molecular sieve, a binder, and optionally a matrix material to produce an aged, formulated molecular sieve catalyst composition having a third micropore surface area;
• (f) further aging the aged, formulated molecular sieve catalyst composition for at least two months;
• and
• (g) analyzing the further aged, formulated molecular sieve catalyst composition to determine a fourth micropore surface area, wherein the fourth micropore surface area is not more than 3% lower than the third micropore surface area.