A method for diatomite zeolitization through steam-assisted crystallization with in-situ seeding

In this study, we demonstrated a novel and convenient seeding method for preparing zeolitized diatomite with hierarchical porosity. The silicalite-1 nanocrystals, grown in-situ on the surface of diatomite starting from a steam-assisted crystallization process with the aid of CTAB, induced the crystallization of diatomite under steam at 150 °C. The hierarchical pore structure of the zeolitized diatomite was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and N2 adsorption analysis. The confinement of CTAB could be controlled by using different solvents. Dissolving in water gave rise to smaller zeolite particles, whereas with ethanol, the formation of larger particles is observed, which is because CTAB tends to form smaller micelles in ethanol than in water.