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The adsorption process for separation of meta-xylene from xylene mixture on binder-free nanocrystalline and microcrystalline zeolite Y modified with sodium cation was investigated in the liquid phase. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nitrogen adsorption and in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were also performed to study the type of adsorbed species and their thermal stabilities. The adsorption process was carried out at temperature of 110–160°C and pressure of 6–10atm. The effect of zeolite water content on the adsorption process was investigated. The influence of SiO₂/Al₂O₃ ratio on selectivity factor of meta-xylene to other C₈ aromatic isomers was also studied. The adsorption isotherms for each isomer of C₈ aromatics and desorbents illustrated the typical Langmuir type. It was observed that selectivity of meta-xylene was increased with decreasing the particle size of …