-Zeolite:

-Introduction
Zeolites are microporous, aluminosilicate minerals comm
only used as commercial adsorbents and catalysts.[1] The
term zeolite was originally coined in 1756
by Swedish mineralogist Axel Fredrik Cronstedt, who
observed that rapidly heating the material, believed to
have been stilbite, produced large amounts of steam from
water that had been adsorbed by the material. Based on
this, he called the material zeolite, from the Greek ζέω
(zéō), meaning "to boil" and λίθος (líthos), meaning
"stone".[2] The classic reference for the field has been
Breck's book Zeolite Molecular Sieves: Structure,
Chemistry, And Use.[3]
Zeolites occur naturally but are also produced
industrially on a large scale. As of December 2018, 245
unique zeolite frameworks have been identified, and over
40 naturally occurring zeolite frameworks are known.[4]
[5] Every new zeolite structure that is obtained is
examined by the International Zeolite Association
Structure Commission and receives a three letter
designation.[6]
Reference: 1- "Zeolite Structure". GRACE.com. W. R. Grace & Co. 2006.
Archived from the original on 15 Feb 2009. Retrieved 8 Feb 2019.
2- Cronstedt AF (1756). "Natural zeolite and minerals". Svenska Vetenskaps
Akademiens Handlingar Stockholm. 17: 120.
3- Breck DW (1973). Zeolite molecular sieves: structure, chemistry, and use. Wiley.
ISBN 9780471099857.
4- "Database of Zeolite Structures". iza-structure.org. International Zeolite
Association. 2017. Retrieved 8 Feb 2019.
5- "Minerals Arranged by the New Dana Classification". webmineral.com. Retrieved
8 Feb 2019.
6- "News from the Structure Commission". IZA Structure Commission. 2018.
Retrieved 8 Feb 2018.

-Types of zeolite:
1)Zeolite A Type

Anne Julbe and Martin Drobek

Institut Européen des Membranes, Université de Montpellier,
Montpellier, France

Zeolite A, also known as LTA (Linde Type A), belongs to the

family of aluminosilicate molecular sieves. It is characterized
by the formula |(Na+12(H2O)27|8[Al12Si12O48]8 which
corresponds to its most common hydrated sodium
form(International Zeolite Association -IZA). Sodium ions in
zeolite A can be exchanged with other cations such as lithium
(Li-LTA), potassium (K-LTA), or calcium (Ca-LTA) (Townsend
and Coker 2001). The principal building units of zeo-lite A are
sodalite cages which are connected by four-membered rings
forming a three-dimensional
(3D) network (Fig. 1). These cages consist of central cavities of
11.4 Å in diameter (supercage) interconnected by eight-ring
openings with a 4.1 Å aperture, thus forming a remarkably
open zeolite framework with a high void volume frac-tion of 47
% (McCusker and Baerlocher 2001). The structure is cubic,
represented by ao = 11.919 Å and the space group Pm-3m.
When Na+ is exchanged with the larger K+, the pore opening is
reduced to approximately 3 Å(K-LTA or 3A zeolite). In the case
that Ca2+ replaces 2Na+, the pore opening increases to
approximately 5 Å (Ca-LTA or 5A zeolite). Due to aperture size,
the Na-LTA zeolite is also called 4A zeolite.
Zeolite A does not occur in nature and must be prepared
synthetically by hydrothermal crystallization of reactive alkali
metal aluminosilicate gels at low temperatures ( 100 C) and
pressures (autogenous) under alkaline condition (pH typically
higher than 12) (Yu 2007). Since its discovery at the Union
Carbide Corporation Laboratories (Linde Division-Union
Carbide) in the 1950s (Reed and Breck 1956), zeolite A has been
largely investigated and applied at large scale for a variety of
separations and purifications (Flanigen 1980). Due to its high
water adsorption capacity, LTA zeolite has been first used as a
desiccant for technical gases and liquids. In 1959 Union Carbide
marketed the IsoSiv process for normal isoparaffin separation,
representing thefirst major bulk separation process using true
molecular sieving selectivity. The supercage structure
revealed also useful for spacio-specific catalysis, such as
paraffin cracking. Owing to its active ion exchange properties,
zeolite A is also widely used in detergents since the mid 1970s,
particularly as a replacement for the environmen-tally harmful
phosphates for water softening. In 1999, Mitsui Engineering and
Shipping Co. Ltd. manufactured the first LTA membranes to the
market for the dehydration of ethanol, which was a milestone in
the commercialization of zeo-lite A as a continuous selective
barrier (Morigami et al. 2001).
Zeolite A Type, Fig. 1
The type A zeolite
structure - view along
[100] direction (International
Zeo-lite Association
(IZA))

References:

Flanigen EM (1980)
Molecular sieve zeolite
technology- the first
twenty-five years. Pure
Appl Chem
52:2191-2211
International Zeolite Association (IZA). http://www.iza- online.org. Accessed
December 2015
McCusker LB, Baerlocher C (2001) Zeolite structures. In: van Bekkum H, Flanigen
EM, Jacobs PA, Jansen JC
(eds) Introduction to zeolite science and practice, stud-ies in surface science and
catalysis, vol 137. Elsevier, London, pp 37-67
Morigami Y, Kondo M, Abe J, Kita H, Okamoto K (2001) The first large-scale
pervaporation plant using tubular-
type module with zeolite NaA membrane. Sep Purif Technol 25:251-260
Reed TB, Breck DW (1956) Crystaline zeolites. II. Crystal structure of synthetic
zeolite, type A. J Am Chem Soc
78:5972-5977
Townsend RP, Coker EN (2001) Ion exchange in zeolites. Stud Surf Sci Catal
137:467-491
Yu J (2007) Synthesis of zeolites. In: Cejka J, van Bekkum H, Corma A,
Schueth F (eds) Introduction to
zeolite molecular sieves, studies in surface science and catalysis, vol 168. Elsevier,
Amsterdam, pp 39-104
 2)Zeolite T Type
Anne Julbe and Martin Drobek
Institut Européen des Membranes, Université de Montpellier,
Montpellier, France

Zeolite T (Linde type T) is a crystalline alumino-silicate with hexagonal

symmetry. Its typical formula is 0.3Na2O-0.7K2O-Al2O3-6.9SiO2-
7.2H2O. It corresponds to a disordered inter-growth of erionite and
offretite structures in which the more open offretite (12-ring main
channels parallel to the c-axis and 8-ring sub-channels normal to the c-
axis with pore sizes of 0.67 0.68 nm and 0.36 0.49 nm, respec-
tively) (Fig. 1) is interspersed at intervals with the tighter erionite units
(8-ring channels parallel to the c-axis with pore size of 0.36 0.51 nm)
(Spivey et al. 1992). The framework structures of offretite and erionite
are closely related, and the synthesized zeolite T is mainly composed of
the offretite phase with only small amounts of erionite unit cells at the
end of the large pore of offretite, erionite controls the diffusion path by
forcing the molecules to pass through the small 8-rings erionite rings.
Pure erionite and offretite phases can be obtained only in the presence of
an organic template, whereas intergrowth-type zeolite T can be
synthesized without any template. Zeolite T, with intermediate Si/Al
ratio of 3-4, is acid resistant and thermally stable while remaining
hydrophilic. Its high acid resistance often over-passes other more
common zeolites such as A, X, and Y. Zeolite T can be used for the
selective adsorption or drying of acid gases and liquids at high
temperatures. Both erionite and intergrowth offretite/erionite zeolite types
have been reported as very attractive materials for catalysis or selective
barriers applicable in conversion of methanol to C2-C5 olefins, selective
catalytic dewaxing, and molecular sieving of n-butane (Yang and
Evmiridis 1996). Zeolite T membranes have enormous poten-tial for
industrial dehydration processes, e.g., sep-arating water from organic
liquids in acidic environment, such as esterification hybrid process
(Zhoua et al. 2009). Due to their molecular sieving properties, zeolite T
membranes have been also considered for gas separation applications,
namely for separating CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4 mixtures up to 473K (Cui
et al. 2004, see also Zhang et al. 2013).
Zeolite T Type, Fig. 1 (a) The erionite-type zeolite, (b) the offretite-type zeolite - view along
[001] direction (International zeolite association (IZA))

References

Cui Y, Kita H, Okamoto K (2004) Preparation and gas separation performance of

zeolite T membrane.
J Mater Chem 14:924-932
International zeolite association (IZA) http://www.iza-
online.org. Accessed Jul 2013
Spivey J, Froment GF, Dehertog WJH, Marchi AJ (1992) Zeolite catalysis in
the conversion of methanol
into olefins.
In: Spivey J
(ed) Catalysis,
vol 9. The
Royal Society
of

Chemistry, Cambridge, pp 1-64

Yang S, Evmiridis NP (1996) Synthesis and characteriza-
tion of an offretite/erionite type zeolite. Microporous Mesoporous Mater 6:19-26
Zhang XL, Qiu LF, Ding MZ, Hu N, Zhang F, Zhou RF, Chen XS, Kita H (2013)
Preparation of Zeolite T Mem-
branes by a Two-Step Temperature Process for CO2 Separation. Ind Eng Chem Res
52:16364-16374
Zhoua H, Li Y, Zhua G, Liua J, Yang W (2009)
Microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of a&b-oriented zeolite T membranes and
their pervaporation properties. Sep Purif Technol 65:164-172

3)zeolite X type
Anne Julbe and Martin Drobek
Institut Européen des Membranes, Université de Montpellier,
Montpellier, France

Zeolite X, together with zeolite Y, belongs to the family of

aluminosilicate molecular sieves with a faujasite-type structure (FAU). It
is characterized by the formula |(Ca, Mg, Na2)29 (H2O)240|
[Al58Si134O384]- FAU (International zeolite asso-ciation (IZA)).
Faujasite is a rare zeolite, although its synthetic counterparts Linde X and
Linde Y are largely used as sorbents and catalysts. Zeolite X differs from
zeolite Y by its Si/Al atomic ratio which is typically in the range from 1
to 1.5 for the X and higher for the Y-type zeolite. High Si/Al ratio is
desirable towards thermal stability, a prop-erty that is less favorable to
zeolite X. The 24 tet-rahedra cuboctahedral units (sodalite cages) in the
FAU framework type are arranged in the same way as the carbon atoms
in diamond. They are connected via hexagonal prisms (double six
rings)structure along [110], characterized by 12 oxygen ring window
openings with the aperture of 8 Å and supercages of approximately 12 Å
(McCusker and Baerlocher 2001). The FAU-type zeolite supercage
viewed along [111] is shown in Fig. 1 (International zeolite association
(IZA)).
The combination of large void volumes and large pore openings in a
three-dimensional chan-nel system makes FAU molecular sieve ideal for
many catalytic applications. This zeolite is also attractive for its ion
exchange and adsorptive properties.
The combination of Si4+ and A13+ results in a deficiency of positive
charge which is balanced by exchangeable cations. Due to its very low
Si/Al ratio, the zeolite X framework provides a large number of cation
exchange sites balancing the framework aluminum, thus leading to high
cation contents and exchange capacities. Zeolite X is generally
synthesized by hydrothermal crystalli-zation of reactive alkali metal
aluminosilicate gels or clear solutions at low temperature (70-300 C,
usually 100 C) and pressure (autogenous) under alkaline conditions.
Starting typically from sodium aluminate and sodium silicate, zeolite X
is obtained in its Na+ form. Zeolite NaX is ametastable phase, meaning
that other types of zeolites such as P, A, or sodalite may form if the recipe
is not followed carefully (Balkus and Ly 1991). For specific catalytic
applications, the incorporation of various metal cations into the structure
can be carried out by impregnation or ion exchange. This results in the
modification of the number and nature of acid sites influencing the
diffusion of reactants and products. A large vari-ety of cationic species
has been introduced into FAU frameworks. X-type zeolite has a wide
range of industrial applications for gas or vapor adsorp-tion, separation,
and as catalyst. Examples of applications in chemical reactions include
isom-erization of 1-butene, alkylation of toluene with ethylene or
methanol, and cycloaddition of carbon dioxide to ethylene oxide (Ribeiro
et al. 1984). X-type zeolites can be used to adsorb an unwanted
compound during decomposition reactions such as removal of alkyl
hydroperoxides from ethers and olefins during hydrobromination of
alkenes (Wortel and van Bekkum 1980). Alcohol dehy-dration by
pervaporation is a potential application for X-type membranes (Zhou et
al. 2012). How-ever, in many large-scale industrial applications, its
chemical analogue with Si/Al ratio higher than1.5 (zeolite Y) has
superseded zeolite X because of its higher chemical and thermal stability.

References

Balkus KJ, Ly KT (1991) The preparation and characteri- zation of an X-Type

zeolite, an experiment in solid-
state chemistry. J Chem Educ 68:875-877
International zeolite association (IZA) http://www.iza-
online.org. Accessed July 2013
McCusker LB, Baerlocher C (2001) Zeolite structures. In: van Bekkum H, Flanigen
EM, Jacobs PA, Jansen JC
(eds) Introduction to zeolite science and practice, vol 137, Studies in surface
science and catalysis. Elsevier, London, pp 37-67
Ribeiro FR et al (1984) Zeolites: science and technology. Martinus Nijhoff, The
Hague
Wortel TM, van Bekkum H (1980) Removal of peroxide impurities by zeolites. J
Org Chem 45:4763-4764
Zhou H, Korelskiy D, Leppäjärvi T, Grahn M,
Tanskanen J, Hedlund J (2012) Ultrathin zeolite X membranes for pervaporation
dehydration of etha-nol. J Membr Sci 399-400:106-111

4)zeolite y type
Anne Julbe and Martin Drobek
Institut Européen des Membranes, Université de Montpellier,
Montpellier, France

Zeolite Y, together with zeolite X, belongs to the family of

aluminosilicate molecular sieves with a faujasite-type structure (FAU),
which is character-ized by the basic formula |(Ca, Mg, Na2 )29
(H2O)240 |[Al58 Si134 O384 ]- FAU (Baerlocher 2007). Faujasite is a
rare zeolite, although its synthetic counterparts Linde X and Linde Y are
largely used as sorbents and catalysts. Zeolite Y has a higher Si/Al atomic
ratio than zeolite X (typically in the range 1-1.5). Therefore, the higher
content of silica confers zeolite Y with higher thermal stability. The 24-
tetrahedracuboc-tahedral units (sodalite cages) in the FAU frame-work
type are arranged in the same way as the carbon atoms in diamond. They
are connected via hexagonal prisms (double 6-rings) forming a 3-
dimensional porous channel structure along [110], characterized by 12-
oxygen ring window openings with the aperture of 8 Å and supercages of
approximately 12 Å (McCusker and Baerlocher 2001). The FAU-type
zeolite supercage viewed along [111] is shown in Fig. 1
The combination of large void volume and large pore openings in a 3-
dimensional channel system makes this thermally stable FAU molecu-lar
sieve ideal for many catalytic applications. This zeolite is also
considered for its ion-exchange and adsorptive properties. Zeolite Y is
generally synthesized by hydrothermal crystallisation of reactive
alkali metal aluminosil-icate gels or clear solutions at low temperature
(70-300 °C, usually 100 °C) and pressure (autog-enous) under alkaline
conditions. Starting typi-cally from sodium aluminate and sodium
silicate, the Y zeolite is obtained in its Na+ form (Blatter and Schumacher
1991) and a replacement of the Na+ cations by protons (leading to the H-
zeolite form) is required for applications in acid catalysis. Due to the poor
stability of the FAU structure in acidic media, this conversion is done
indirectly via an ammonium exchange resulting in NH4+ Y, where
the cation is decomposed into ammonia and protons, thus yielding a
highly crystalline H-FAU structure. Dealumination of the Y zeolite
framework results in the formation of ultra-stable Y zeolite (USY) with
high (hydro)thermal stability. USY prepared by thermal, hydrothermal,
or chemical dealumination of zeolite Y is one of the most widely
employed zeolite material in the petro-chemical industry. Zeolite Y is
essentially used as a Fluid Cracking Catalyst (FCC) of heavy petroleum
distillates, for increasing the yield of gasoline and Diesel fuel from crude
oil (Kung at al. 2000). It is also used to increase the aromatic content of
refinery products in hydrocracking units, when it is associated with
platinum or pal-ladium species, deposited by either impregnation or ion
exchange (Ribeiro 1984). A large variety of other applications have been
reported for the Y zeolite, including the dealcoholization of beer, the
removal of toxic preservatives in the pharmaceu-tical preparation of
insulin, the slow-release of drugs, or the encapsulation of specific ions for
electrocatalytic applications (Pavelic and Hadzija 2003), also in addition
to simple gas phase or liquid phase separations and treatments, including
membranes (Morooka et al. 1998). Bussan Nanotech Research
Institute Inc., namely, reported on mass-production of tubular NaY zeo-
lite membranes for ethanol dehydration (Sato et al. 2008).
Zeolite Y Type, Fig. 1 The FAU type zeolite supercage - view along [111]
direction (www.iza-online.org)

References

Baerlocher C, McCusker L, Olson DH (2007) Atlas of zeolite framework types, 6th

revised edn. Elsevier, Amsterdam
Blatter F, Schumacher E (1991) The preparation of pure zeolite NaY and its
conversion to high-silica faujasite, an experiment for laboratory courses in
inorganic chemistry. J
Chem Educ 68:519-521
International zeolite
association (IZA) http://www.iza-
online.org. Accessed July
2013
Kung HH, Williams BA,
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Snurr RQ (2000) Enhanced
hydrocarbon cracking
activity of Y zeolites. Top
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McCusker LB, Baerlocher C (2001) Zeolite structures. In: van Bekkum H, Flanigen
EM, Jacobs PA, Jansen JC
(eds) Introduction to zeolite science and practice. Stud-ies in surface science and
catalysis, vol 137. Elsevier, London, pp 37-67
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using Y-type zeolite mem-
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carbon dioxide, vol 114. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 665-668
Pavelic K, Hadzija M (2003) Medical applications of zeo- lites. In: Auerbach SM,
Carrado KA, Dutta PK (eds)
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Ribeiro FR et al (1984) Zeolites: science and technology. Martinus Nijhoff
Publishers, The Hague
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membranes for industrial purpose
and their application to ethanol dehydration by vapor permeation. J Membr Sci
319:244-255

-classification of zeolite

A) natural zeolite
Zeolites in nature often, formed as crystals in small cavities of
basaltic rocks over the years or as volcanic tuffs or glass altered
by the interaction with saline water. These natural zeolites are
formed in a number of geological environments such as alkaline
deserts, lake sediments, ash ponds and marine sediments at
relatively low temperature, under natural conditions. They also
get crystallized in geologically young metamorphic rocks in
mountainous regions. In the 1950s, geologists discovered that
million-ton deposits of volcanic tuff consisting mostly of
zeolitic materials are not uncommon [5, 7, 15]. Such zeolitic
crystals, by virtue of their unique structures, get filled up with
water which can be driven off by heating. As such, the dried up
crystals possess a honeycomb-like structure consisting of
openings or pores of the order of a few atoms in width (~2–
10 Å) [30, 31, 32]. The most general formula of natural zeolites
is as depicted below [8, 22, 33]:
(Li, Na, K)p(Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba)q[Al(p+2q)Sin−
(p+2q)O2n]⋅moH2O(Li, Na, K)p(Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba)q[Al(p+2q)Sin
−(p+2q)O2n]⋅moH2O
"where, p is the number of monovalent metal ion, q is the
number of divalent metal ions, n is the half of the number of
oxygen atom and mo is the number of water molecules."

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B) synthetic zeolite
These zeolites are synthesized by chemical processes, which
result in a more uniform and purer state as compared to the
natural types in terms of their lattice structures, sizes of pores
and cages in their frameworks. The principal raw materials
useful for synthesis of synthetic zeolites can be pure chemicals
rich in silica and alumina, minerals available on the earth or by-
products of industries. Fly ash being an abundantly and cheaply
available industrial by-product, rich in minerals containing silica
and alumina can be an alternative material for synthesis of
synthetic zeolites [20, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39]. The type of
zeolites formed is a function of the temperature, pressure,
concentration of the reagent solutions, pH, process of activation
and ageing period, SiO2 and Al2O3 contents of the raw
materials [1, 8].

*How to prepare zeolite?

Industrially important zeolites are produced synthetically.
Typical procedures entail heating aqueous solutions of alumina
and silica with sodium hydroxide. Equivalent reagents include
sodium aluminate and sodium silicate. Further variations include
changes in the cations to include quaternary ammonium cations.
[11]

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-Application on zeolite
Zeolites have become ubiquitous to our modern lifestyle
as they are used for a diverse range of applications
including petroleum refining [1], water treatment [[2],
[3], [4]], gas adsorption [5], agriculture [6], animal feed
additives [7], green chemistry [8,9], as well as many
others. Zeolites can either be naturally occurring [10,11]
or made synthetically [12], and currently there are ca.
234 different framework types. Most zeolites are
aluminosilicate materials; albeit, there are now many
examples of zeolites composed of other framework
elements such as titanosilicates [13].

(1) Water softening:

-In many regions of the world the water supply is
relatively hard due to the presence of dissolved calcium
and magnesium ions.
A) The Si/Al ratio of 1 in zeolite LTA is the lowest
possible due to Lowenstein's rule, which means it is
particularly advantageous for ion exchange processes
such as water softening. Ideally an effective water
softener should remove both calcium and magnesium
ions from aqueous solution
-Sidheswaran and Bhat [139] examined the calcium
exchange behaviour with zeolite LTA and determined
that the cation capacity was ca. 300 mg of CaCO3/g
zeolite LTA. If the zeolite LTA was dried at elevated
temperature the capacity was found to gradually reduce
to ca. 200 mg of CaCO3/g zeolite LTA by 600 °C.
Whereupon further heating of the zeolite sample
substantially reduced the exchange capacity to <50 mg of
CaCO3/g zeolite LTA.
-Xue et al. [140] examined the exchange behaviour of
calcium and magnesium ions with a mesoporous zeolite
LTA material. It was concluded that two exchange sites
existed in the zeolite LTA material; (1) cation exchange
sites in the micropores and (2) cation exchange sites in
the mesopores. Importantly, the enthalpy for the
exchange processes was lower for mesoporous sites
compared to microporous sites. Moreover, the exchange
enthalpy was greater for magnesium ions compared to
calcium ions.
B) Another approach used in the detergent industry to
optimise both calcium and magnesium removal is the use
of both zeolite LTA and zeolite 13X materials [141]. The
larger pore zeolite X material allows improved diffusion
of magnesium ions to the surface exchange sites.
Similarly, the ability of zeolite P to remove calcium ions
has been demonstrated, albeit the exchange kinetics
appeared to be slower than for zeolite LTA

(2)catalysts
A) Biodiesel production :
-Synthesis of biodiesel is commonly achieved by
transesterification of resources such as vegetable oils,
animal fats, and waste cooking oils [151]. The catalyst
used is usually homogeneous in character whereas a
heterogeneous catalyst is preferred [152]. Đặng et al.
[153] demonstrated that zeolite LTA could achieve yields
of up to 92.8% under optimal reaction conditions.
Significantly, recycling of the catalyst was also
confirmed to be acceptable in terms of maintaining
performance.

B) Oxidation reactions:
-Shan et al. [154] elegantly illustrated how
encapsulated platinum clusters in zeolite LTA could be
tailored to selectively oxidise hydrogen instead of
propene. Ultimately, these materials were shown to be
highly selective and resistant to reduction in activity
caused by sintering and coke deposition. Mohan and
Cindrella [155] enacted a simpler approach wherein they
doped salts of Pt, Co, Ni and Ce on zeolite LTA and
transformed these to platinum supported to the resultant
metal oxides. Platinum/nickel oxide was found to be the
best combination in relation to activity for methanol
oxidation.

(C) Decomposition of nitrous oxide (N2O):

-Nitrous oxide is a powerful greenhouse gas which is
emitted in substantial quantities from industries such as
nitric acid manufacturing [156] and during agricultural
activities [157]. Lim et al. [158] demonstrated that iron
exchange zeolite LTA was of higher performance than
other zeolite framework types such as ZSM-5, RTH,
SSZ13 or FER.
-That can done by:
1-Steady-state experiment
2-Pulse response experiment

(D)Zeolite LTA membranes for separation:

-The development of inorganic membranes as an
alternative to organic membranes has received
considerable attention to due potential benefits such as
structural stability when heated, improved chemical
resistance and greater mechanical strength. In relation to
zeolite LTA, membranes have been used for the
dehydration of alcohols by pervaporation (See Section
4.5). Alternate applications include that described by
Cay-Durgun et al. [159] who examined the water
permeability of zeolite LTA membranes. Interestingly,
the permeability was higher for the zeolite membrane
compared to a commercial seawater reverse osmosis
membrane used for desalination purposes. Shirazian et
al. [160] evaluated the impact of zeolite LTA membrane
formation upon the dehydration of natural gas.
Chlorination of the substrate was discovered to be
beneficial in terms of making higher performing
membranes.

(E) Dehydration of bioethanol:

-The most expensive step in biofuel synthesis is the
separation of water from alcohol [165]. Hydrophilic
zeolite LTA membranes have been commercialized for
the dehydration of ethanol/water mixtures near the
azeotropic composition [166]. Attractive features of
zeolite LTA membranes include mechanical robustness,
chemical resistance and thermal stability [167].
Nevertheless, reservations have been expressed about
conventional tubular zeolite LTA membranes due to a
combination of cost and comparatively low flux rates
[168]. Hence, hollow fibre membranes have been
developed and studied, as they offer the highest surface
area to volume ratio [168,169]. Another issue was the
limited use of zeolite LTA under acidic conditions. As
such, Li et al. [170] recently reported how to expand
zeolite LTA use to acidic conditions by successful
application of a surface coating comprising chitosan and
sodium poly (vinyl sulfonate).

(F) Sorption of pollutants from water &

wastewater:
-Zeolites in general have found widespread application
with regards to ion exchange or adsorption of a range of
water contaminants [2,3,171,172]. Zeolite LTA when
characterized by a Si/Al ratio of 1 inherently comprises
of the maximum number of exchangeable cation sites for
a zeolite. Hong et al. [172] described the ion exchange of
lead, copper and nickel ions with zeolite LTA.
Importantly, these authors found that the mechanism for
uptake of the metal ions was related to pore architecture
for nickel ions whereas copper and lead exchange was
related to cation exchange properties of the zeolite
framework. Anions can also be removed using zeolite
LTA if surface modification is initially conducted. For
example, cyanide ions in water and wastewater supplies
can represent a serious health risk to humans. Hence,
Noroozi et al. [173] modified zeolite LTA with
hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide to facilitate
anion uptake. Cyanide loading was a maximum of
24 mg/g zeolite and optimal solution pH was 7 or less.
Zeolite LTA has also been shown to be able to adsorb
dyes such as malachite green from aqueous solution
[174].

(G) Antibacterial and medical:

- Silver ions readily exchange with zeolite LTA.
Mayoral et al. [175] performed atomic resolution
imaging of silver exchanged zeolite LTA using scanning
transmission electron microscopy. It was confirmed that
each sodalite cage in the zeolite LTA framework
contained 6 silver ions. In terms of application in
antifungal coatings, zeolite LTA exchanged with both
silver and zinc ions has been evaluated [176]. The
minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was 100 mg/L
Ag+ ions and 90 mg/L Zn2+ ions. Notably, a synergistic
effect was observed wherein the inclusion of zinc
maintained growth inhibition equivalent to 230 mg/L
silver. Thus the economics of this process were
improved. Benaliouche et al. [177] described the use of
zeolite LTA as a mineral-based haemostatic agent. The
premise was that when applied to a wound the zeolite not
only dehydrates the haemorrhaging blood but also
releases electrolytes to induce haemostasis. It was
discovered that zeolite LTA exchanged with calcium,
silver and zinc ions may be a highly suitable material
with optimal physical

(3)zeolite filters in fish breeding recirculation

systems and their effect on nitrifying bacteria
-In fish breeding, water pollution is mainly caused by
metabolic compounds which are produced by fish
themselves and by residues of unused feed. The most
crucial substance is total ammonium-nitrogen (TAN)
which appears as dissociated (N–NH4+) and
undissociated (N–NH3) forms (Blute et al., 2012). The
ratio of these two forms depends mainly on the pH and
temperature of the water. The undissociated form is toxic
for all aquatic animals and the maximum concentration
of N–NH3 in breeding water must not exceed 21 μg L-1
-Zeolites are investigated in terms of TAN removal
efficiency and mordenite is evaluated as usable candidate
for this purpose (Xue et al., 2018). Another study points
out that by absorbing NH4+, zeolites can greatly
influence the abundance and development of aqueous
microorganisms. The presence of nitrifying bacteria is
confirmed by changed concentration of nitrogen
compounds (decreasing TAN, increasing N–NO2- and
N–NO3-) in water (Motesharezadeh et al., 2015).

(4) In green chemistry: Shape-selective

zeolite catalysis for bioplastics production.

(5)In biomedical application: Zn-exchanged

clinoptilolite-rich rock as active carrier for
antibiotics in anti-acne topical therapy