Selection between LTA or FAU phases by manipulating the synthesis gel composition, crystallization time and temperature

LTA and FAU zeolites were synthesized with the addition of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) to assess the effects of Si/Al, Na/Al and H₂ O/Al ratios, time and temperature on the yield of each structure. The significance of each variable was determined by means of experimental designs, whose response variables were the areas of specific XRD peaks. CTAB did not act as a structure-directing agent, but rather as a growth modifier, increasing the growth rate of LTA and FAU crystals. At low temperature, LTA was afforded at low Si/Al ratio, while FAU crystallized at higher ratios, indicating a competition between the phases. Increasing temperature accelerated the kinetics of recrystallization of the less dense and metastable LTA and FAU phases in denser and more stable phases, such as sodalite and cancrinite. Decreasing the concentration of Na+ and water reduced the crystallinity of both structures, while increasing the concentration of Na+ favored LTA over FAU. (author)