SYNTHESIS OF ZEOLITE-A FROM REACTANTS ENCLOSED IN REVERSE MICELLES

This study involves synthesis of a zeolite from aqueous reactants dispersed in a reverse micellar medium. Zeolite A crystals are grown from silicates and aluminates dissolved in the water pools of an AOT-isooctane system. The interactions of the solubilized reactants in the micelles lead to the formation of insoluble aluminosilicate particles trapped within the AOT matrix. Zeolite growth appears to occur from these AOT encapsulated particles and leads to uniform sized crystals of 1-2-mu-m. The presence of gravitational forces makes it impossible to keep the aluminosilicate particles dispersed in the hydrocarbon medium after they reach a certain size. However, the potentially interesting aspect of this procedure is the initial interaction between micelle-solubilized aluminate and silicate ions that may provide alternate routes for zeolite nucleation.