Cobalt-isomorphous substituted SAPO-34 via milling and recrystallization for enhanced catalytic lifetime toward methanol-to-olefin reaction

•Co-isomorphous substitution over SAPO-34 is facilely enabled via milling and successive Co-incorporated recrystallization.•The content of the substituted Co is rationally controlled by the amount of Co precursors added in the recrystallization.•Milling and Co-incorporated recrystallization of SAPO-34 facilitate the modification of particle size, porosity and acidity.•The correlation between the content of Co and catalytic lifetime for methanol-to-olefin reaction was revealed.