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Preparation of Free-Template Nanometer-Sized Na–A and –X Zeolites From Rice Husk Ash

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Abstract

The main objective of the present study was to synthesize nanozeolite Na–A by a hydrothermal method with extracted silica from rice husk ash as source in order to reduce the mean particle size of zeolite Na–A as well as crystallization conditions by keeping the economic interactive in mind. High-grade amorphous silica was extracted from rice husk ash by an appropriate alkali solution. Amorphous extracted silica powder was composed of 88% wt of SiO2. The effects of Na2O/SiO2 ratio in the initial system, the crystallization condition, crystallization time, crystallization temperature and shaking conditions (static, stirring and shaking) on the properties of final products were investigated. Various techniques including X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive X-ray, N2 adsorption/desorption and Fourier transform infrared were then applied for characterization of the synthesized products. The results showed that the crystallization condition and alkalinity have a significant effect on the structural properties of the synthesized nanozeolite Na–A. Without adding any organic additives, nanocrystals of Na–A ranging from 40 to 120 nm in size were synthesized at 40°C and with 18 h aging, whereby crystals with a specific surface area of 36.9 m2 g−1 and an average pore diameter of 10.6 nm (using BJH method) were obtained. Na–X nanocrystals with crystallite size ranging from 70 to 260 nm were obtained from a sodium aluminosilicate solution at 60°C after 2 days in static crystallization condition, whereby crystals with a specific surface area of 89.9 m2 g−1 and an average pore diameter of 9.2 nm (using BJH method) were obtained.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a research grant from Tarbiat Modares University (TMU), Iran Nanotechnology Initiative Council and SPAG Zeolite R & D Group. The authors wish to thank Mr. F. Farhadi, Mr. M. Sardari and Mr. I. Sourinejad for their technical assistance during the experiments, and Ellen Vuosalo Tavakoli for the final editing of the English text.

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  1. Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Natural Resources, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box: 64414-356, Noor, Iran

    Zahra Ghasemi & Habibollah Younesi

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Ghasemi, Z., Younesi, H. Preparation of Free-Template Nanometer-Sized Na–A and –X Zeolites From Rice Husk Ash. Waste Biomass Valor 3, 61–74 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-011-9084-4

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