Patent ID: 6884918

Claim:
Process for the recovery of para-xylene from C 8 aromatic isomer fractions in the liquid phase by adsorption of the para-xylene by an agglomerated zeolitic adsorbent in the presence of a desorbent the agglomerated zeolitic adsorbent comprising zeolite X and an inert binder, the inert binder containing at least 80% by weight of clay which has undergone zeolitization by the action of an alkaline solution, the zeolite X having an Si/Al ratio such that 1.15<Si/Al≦1.5 and having exchangeable cationic sites, wherein at least 90% of the exchangeable cationic sites of the zeolite X are occupied either by barium ions alone or by barium ions and potassium ions, the exchangeable sites occupied by potassium ions optionally representing up to ⅓ of the exchangeable sites occupied by barium ions and potassium ions, wherein the adsorbent has a Dubinin volume of greater than or equal to 0.240 cm 3 /g, the Dubinin volume being measured by nitrogen adsorption at 77° K after degassing under vacuum at 300° C. for 16 hours.