Behavior of the (010) face of silicalite crystal

The behavior of the (010) face of a silicalite crystal during hydrothermal synthesis from a clear aqueous solution has been studied by an interferometric technique that enables direct measurement of the growth rate along the crystal depth. The effects of the conditions of hydrothermal synthesis, such as the temperature and the composition of the starting mixture, on the growth behavior are systematically investigated. It is found that the growth rate and the apparent activation energy for each crystal face depend markedly on the synthesis conditions. The process of intergrowth, where different crystal seeds evolve at several positions on the (010) face and then merge into one, is also observed.