Solventless green synthesis of sodalite zeolite using diatomite as silica source by a microwave heating technique

•Sodalite can be simply synthesized by microwave heating of solid raw mixtures.•The obtained samples are existence of a small amount of mesopores.•As synthesized zeolites exhibits thread-ball-like spheres morphologies.•The synthesis process is carried out using diatomite as sole silica source.

Microporous zeolite sodalite can be simply synthesized by mixing, grinding and microwave heating the solid mixture of raw natural clay and pseudoboehmite without solvent. The sample obtained by microwave-assisted solventless route exhibits good crystallinity and high yield. This method is very efficient, rapid, economic, and environment friendly for the synthesis of sodalite.

Graphical abstractSodalite can be simply synthesized by microwave heating solid raw mixture using diatomite as sole silica source in the absence of water.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide