Mordenite-Type Zeolite from Iraq Sand: Synthesis and Characterization

Abstract

Mordenite's excellent physical and chemical qualities set it apart from other zeolites with similar applications in industry. Mordenite is frequently produced through hydrothermal processing with TEA+ cations. The best template agent is TEA+ cations, despite the fact that they may lead to a variety of problems, such as the release of toxicity, the high cost of production, the contamination of wastewater, and environmental damage. So, it's important to develop a mordenite synthesis technique that doesn't need an organic template or a cheap template. The mordenite-type zeolites were prepared using sand from the western part of Iraq (Ar-Rutbah). Silica was extracted from Iraqi sand as a silica source and sodium aluminate as a source of alumina Al by using the SOL-GEL method through the hydrothermal technique at temperatures ranging from 23 to 27 °C over a period of 7 days. Analyses such as XRD, BET surface area AFM, FT-IR, and FE-SEM were performed on the sample. The average particle size was 31.9 nm, and the BET surface area was 202.487. XRF detected the ratio of silica to alumina (Si/Al = 4.55), and the exchange of sodium ions for hydrogen ions through ionic exchange is 100%. The micrograph clearly reveals a tiny portion of the crystal band with a flaky habit, while FE-SEM images of synthesized H-MOR show that plates form the majority of the crystals.