Preparation and characterization of NaY zeolite in a rotating packed bed

NaY Zeolite was synthesized in a rotating packed bed (RPB) for the first time. A Si-Al gel with a specific composition was used as the structure-directing agent. The as-synthesized NaY Zeolite was characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and specific surface area (BET). The characterization result showed that the NaY Zeolite had a particle size of approximately 200 nm, n(SiO₂)/n(Al₂O₃) ratio of 5.03, crystallinity of 96% and specific surface area of 714 m²/g. The experimental results indicated that the structure of NaY Zeolite was related to the synthesis conditions (such as reactors, crystallization time and so on). The micromixing efficiency was proven to be the most important factor for synthesis of NaY Zeolite in the high-gravity environment in RPB.