An emulsion-based droplet hydrothermal synthesis method for the production of uniform sized zeolite nanocrystals

Abstract

A droplet based new hydrothermal synthesis method for nano-zeolite synthesis in bulk amount with uniform size, shape and morphology is presented. The proposed process addresses the limitation and shortcomings of droplet based microfluidic reactors and conventional hydrothermal methods. The process has been designed on the concept of mixing two immiscible solutions at high speed which then produces nano/submicron size droplets. Confinement within the droplet provides uniform heat transfer, enhanced mass transfer to growing crystal, chaotic advection within droplet facilitate rapid mixing, prevent the contact between growing crystals etc. Fine-tuned nano-cubic LTA zeolite crystals of size ∼100nm with uniform morphology and size distribution were prepared. Just within 4h of reaction time (aging+crystallization) well shaped cubic crystals with high crystallinity and size uniformity can be synthesized by the proposed synthesis process. Diffraction and electron microscopic studies reveal the high phase purity and size uniformity of as-synthesized LTA zeolite particles.