Abstract An industrially deactivated Y-type zeolite catalyst was regenerated by a combination method of citric acid treatment and calcination for the transalkylation catalytic reaction of benzene and polyethylbenzene. The effects of different regeneration conditions on the deactivated Y zeolites were studied by means of N2 physical adsorption (BET), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), thermogravimetric analysis and NH3 temperature programmed desorption (NH3-TPD) respectively. The results showed that the activity of the regenerated catalyst was the best with the yield of ethylbenzene more than 30% under the regeneration conditions of citric acid solution treatment for 8 h and calcined at 500 ℃ for 4 h. The regenerated catalyst showed good stability for the 227 h life time evaluation.
