Spherical Binderless 4A/5A Zeolite Assemblies: Synthesis, Characterization, and Adsorbent Applications
Zeolite microspheres have been successfully applied in commercial-scale separators such as oxygen concentrators. However, further enhancement of their applications is hampered by the post-synthetic shaping process that formulates the zeolite powder into packing-sized spherical bodies with various bi...
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MDPI AG
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Molecules |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/7/1432 |
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| author | Tong Li Shuangwei Wang Jinqiang Gao Ruiqiang Wang Guifeng Gao Guangming Ren Shengnan Na Mei Hong Shihe Yang |
| author_facet | Tong Li Shuangwei Wang Jinqiang Gao Ruiqiang Wang Guifeng Gao Guangming Ren Shengnan Na Mei Hong Shihe Yang |
| author_sort | Tong Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Zeolite microspheres have been successfully applied in commercial-scale separators such as oxygen concentrators. However, further enhancement of their applications is hampered by the post-synthetic shaping process that formulates the zeolite powder into packing-sized spherical bodies with various binders leading to active site blockage and suboptimal performance. Herein, binderless zeolite microspheres with a tunable broad size range from 2 µm to 500 µm have been developed with high crystallinity, sphericity over 92%, monodispersity with a coefficient of variation (CV) less than 5%, and hierarchical pore architecture. Combining precursor impregnation and steam-assisted crystallization (SAC), mesoporous silica microspheres with a wide size range could be successfully transformed into zeolite. For preserved size and spherical morphology, a judicious selection of the synthesis conditions is crucial to ensure a pure phase, high crystallinity, and hierarchical architecture. For the sub-2-µm zeolite microsphere, low-temperature prolonged aging was important so as to suppress external zeolization that led to a large, single macroporous crystal. For the large 500 µm sphere, ultrasound pretreatment and vacuum impregnation were crucial and facilitated spatially uniform gel matrix dispersion and homogenous crystallization. The obtained zeolite 5A microspheres exhibited excellent air separation performance, while the 4A microspheres displayed ammonium removal capabilities. This work provides a general strategy to overcome the existing limitations in fabricating binder-free technical bodies of zeolites for various applications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T10:38:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-141cb5a4bd604d08ac31452d9277e186 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1420-3049 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T10:38:44Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecules |
| spelling | doaj.art-141cb5a4bd604d08ac31452d9277e1862024-04-12T13:23:01ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492024-03-01297143210.3390/molecules29071432Spherical Binderless 4A/5A Zeolite Assemblies: Synthesis, Characterization, and Adsorbent ApplicationsTong Li0Shuangwei Wang1Jinqiang Gao2Ruiqiang Wang3Guifeng Gao4Guangming Ren5Shengnan Na6Mei Hong7Shihe Yang8Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Nano-Micro Materials Research, School of Advanced Materials, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School (PKUSZ), Shenzhen 518055, ChinaAmbulanc (Shenzhen) Tech. Co., Ltd., Shenzhen 518108, ChinaGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Nano-Micro Materials Research, School of Advanced Materials, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School (PKUSZ), Shenzhen 518055, ChinaAmbulanc (Shenzhen) Tech. Co., Ltd., Shenzhen 518108, ChinaAmbulanc (Shenzhen) Tech. Co., Ltd., Shenzhen 518108, ChinaAmbulanc (Shenzhen) Tech. Co., Ltd., Shenzhen 518108, ChinaCollege of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar 161006, ChinaGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Nano-Micro Materials Research, School of Advanced Materials, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School (PKUSZ), Shenzhen 518055, ChinaGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Nano-Micro Materials Research, School of Advanced Materials, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School (PKUSZ), Shenzhen 518055, ChinaZeolite microspheres have been successfully applied in commercial-scale separators such as oxygen concentrators. However, further enhancement of their applications is hampered by the post-synthetic shaping process that formulates the zeolite powder into packing-sized spherical bodies with various binders leading to active site blockage and suboptimal performance. Herein, binderless zeolite microspheres with a tunable broad size range from 2 µm to 500 µm have been developed with high crystallinity, sphericity over 92%, monodispersity with a coefficient of variation (CV) less than 5%, and hierarchical pore architecture. Combining precursor impregnation and steam-assisted crystallization (SAC), mesoporous silica microspheres with a wide size range could be successfully transformed into zeolite. For preserved size and spherical morphology, a judicious selection of the synthesis conditions is crucial to ensure a pure phase, high crystallinity, and hierarchical architecture. For the sub-2-µm zeolite microsphere, low-temperature prolonged aging was important so as to suppress external zeolization that led to a large, single macroporous crystal. For the large 500 µm sphere, ultrasound pretreatment and vacuum impregnation were crucial and facilitated spatially uniform gel matrix dispersion and homogenous crystallization. The obtained zeolite 5A microspheres exhibited excellent air separation performance, while the 4A microspheres displayed ammonium removal capabilities. This work provides a general strategy to overcome the existing limitations in fabricating binder-free technical bodies of zeolites for various applications.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/7/1432zeolitemicrosphereagingimpregnationair separation |
| spellingShingle | Tong Li Shuangwei Wang Jinqiang Gao Ruiqiang Wang Guifeng Gao Guangming Ren Shengnan Na Mei Hong Shihe Yang Spherical Binderless 4A/5A Zeolite Assemblies: Synthesis, Characterization, and Adsorbent Applications Molecules zeolite microsphere aging impregnation air separation |
| title | Spherical Binderless 4A/5A Zeolite Assemblies: Synthesis, Characterization, and Adsorbent Applications |
| title_full | Spherical Binderless 4A/5A Zeolite Assemblies: Synthesis, Characterization, and Adsorbent Applications |
| title_fullStr | Spherical Binderless 4A/5A Zeolite Assemblies: Synthesis, Characterization, and Adsorbent Applications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Spherical Binderless 4A/5A Zeolite Assemblies: Synthesis, Characterization, and Adsorbent Applications |
| title_short | Spherical Binderless 4A/5A Zeolite Assemblies: Synthesis, Characterization, and Adsorbent Applications |
| title_sort | spherical binderless 4a 5a zeolite assemblies synthesis characterization and adsorbent applications |
| topic | zeolite microsphere aging impregnation air separation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/7/1432 |
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