Synthesis of granular zeolitic materials with high cation exchange capacity from agglomerated coal fly ash

Fly ash from coal combustion is a potential source of pollution and there is continuous interest in its recycling by converting it into products such as zeolitic materials for use in retaining pollutants. In this paper, production of granular zeolitic material from a commercially-unusable fine-fraction of a lightweight aggregate (LA) building material made from coal fly ash agglomerated with lime, by conventional alkaline activation is described. NaP1 zeolite, K-F zeolite, K-Phillipsite and K-Chabazite were synthesised. The process was optimised by combining four reaction parameters (temperature, alkali concentration, solution/fly ash ratio and reaction time). Zeolitic materials with the highest zeolite yields and cation exchange capacities were selected for future application in environmental processes. End-product zeolitic materials maintain its granular form and this could favour their use in some particular applications for environmental waste treatment (e.g. ionic exchange in column) without any further transformation stages.