A facile method for the fabrication of IM-5 hollow zeolite sphere in emulsion system

IM-5 hollow zeolite spheres (HZSs) were successfully prepared by CTAB improved emulsion system, with the aid of 1,5-bis(methylpyrrolidinium)pentane (1,5-MPP) as a structure-directing agent. The obtained IM-5 HZSs displayed a uniform size about 5 μm with polycrystalline IM-5 zeolite wall of 1 μm thickness. It was verified that crystallization time and the concentration of CTAB affected the formation process of IM-5 HZSs. Moreover, the IM-5 HZSs were obtained under the conditions of a CTAB concentration of 1.39 mol/L and crystallization time of 10–12 days. The characterization methods of XRD, Raman, SEM, TEM, N2 sorption isotherms, 27Al, 29Si MAS NMR and Dynamic light-scattering (DLS) were employed to analyze as-prepared samples. The obtained results clarified the “formation of hydrophobic gel particles and crystallization on its surface” crystallization process. This study may provide a facile method to fabricate HZSs.

Scheme of IM-5 hollow zeolite spheres forming process..Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights
► Zeolite IM-5 hollow spheres were successfully fabricated in a CTAB emulsion system.
► The critical physicochemical properties of IM-5 HZSs have been carefully investigated.
► The forming mechanism of IM-5 hollow zeolite spheres was discussed.