Synthesis and applications of ordered and disordered mesoporous zeolites: Present and future prospective

Abstract

Zeolites are microporous aluminosilicates that are used extensively for a wide variety of industrial applications. Applications of microporous zeolites are limited to transformations of small molecules due to the pore diffusion limitation imposed by the microporous network structure. In order to overcome this limitation, zeolites with inter-/intra-crystalline mesopores are generally preferred. This review article presents the details of various strategies for the preparation of mesoporous zeolites with inter-/intra-crystalline mesopores. A wide range of soft templates and additives is described in details for their use in the synthesis of mesoporous ZSM-5 and Beta zeolites. A brief report on the applications of mesoporous zeolites in various acid catalyzed reactions, involving large organic molecules, is provided in this article. Another important feature of this article is that it summarizes the applications of mesoporous zeolites in the electrochemical detection of various physiologically important biomolecules and organic/inorganic water pollutants. Further, the role of mesoporous zeolites based electrode materials for direct methanol fuel cell application is presented. Finally, the potential role of mesoporous zeolites in the field of biomedical engineering, particularly as a bone implant material, is summarized.