Micro- and macroscopic observations of the nucleation process and crystal growth of nanosized Cs-pollucite in an organotemplate-free hydrosol
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2019
Abstract
The nucleation and crystal growth of a nanoscale cesium pollucite aluminosilicate zeolite (ANA topology) from an organotemplate-free precursor suspension are reported. By using a new and reactive synthesis recipe (5.5SiO2 : 1Al2O3 : 6Cs2O : 140H2O), zeolite nanocrystals with higher Al content (Si/Al ratio = 2.12) are obtained within 120 min under mild conditions (180 °C), which is much faster and safer as compared to those previously reported. The solid initially experiences amorphous phase re-organization before nucleation, crystallization and crystal growth take place. The resulting Cs-pollucite nanocrystals (average size 55 nm) display a trapezohedron morphology. The nanocrystals are colloidally stabilized in water and they are very active in the base-catalyzed cyanoethylation of dipropylamine reaction, giving 89.6% conversion at 180 °C within 50 min. In addition, a high solid yield of nanocrystals (ca. 70%) is also achieved, thus offering a green pathway for synthesizing zeolite nanocrystals with high basicity on a large scale. © 2019 The Royal Society of Chemistry and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique.
Keywords
Zeolites, Synthesis (chemical), Organic template
Publication Title
New Journal of Chemistry
Divisions
InstituteofBiologicalSciences
Funders
FRGS (203/PKIMIA/6711642) grant
Volume
43
Issue
44
Publisher
Royal Society of Chemistry