Assembled pentasil nanosheet zeolites: Adjusting the sheet thickness through a simple and direct dual templating approach

Abstract

A simple one-step synthesis method is demonstrated, enabling the thickness of assembled silicalite nanosheets to be tuned from 2 to 30 nm. The adjustement is achieved by mixing two common organic structure-directing agents (OSDAs): tetrapropylammonium (TPA) and tetrabutylammonium (TBA). During the hydrothermal synthesis, there is a preferential uptake of TPA, and the proportion of incorporated TBA can be deduced accordingly. The proportion of TBA, known to favour silicalite nanosheets, determines the nanosheets’ thickness and the morphological variations observed.