Synthesis and Characterization of Zeolite-A

Abstract

Zeolite A is a material developed as a solution to the inconsistent crystallinity and impurities found in natural zeolites. It is a synthetic aluminosilicate that has numerous applications in catalysis, ion exchange, and molecular adsorption. This study aims to synthesize and characterize Zeolite A to explore its potential as an optimized synthetic zeolite. The synthesis process involved reacting sodium aluminate, sodium hydroxide, and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), followed by hydrothermal treatment, drying, and calcination to ensure complete crystallization. Characterization was performed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) to identify structural bonds and gravimetric analysis to determine solid acidity. The synthesized Zeolite A has a yield of 61.08%. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of aluminosilicate framework vibrations and the total solid acidity measured through gravimetric analysis is 2.9062 mmol/g. These results validate the effectiveness of the synthesis process, providing insights into the structural and acidic properties critical for industrial applications.