A new route of synthesis of Na-Mica-4 from sodalite

•Sodalite and magnesium fluoride the only precursors for Na-Mica-4 synthesis.•The use of sodalite as precursor provokes microporous formation in the final mica.•Absence of excess Na leads to a lower particle size and to the presence of less impurity in mica.

Synthesis of Na-Mica-4 has been achieved by a “mix and calcine” method using sodalite and magnesium fluoride as the only precursors. Previous research found sodalite as a key intermediate reaction product in the formation of Na-Mica-4 when the NaCl melt method was employed. Similarities in structure, chemical composition and cation distribution in products using the proposed method and the NaCl melt method are described and suggest that Na-Mica-4 is a very stable product. The use of sodalite as precursor provokes microporous formation in the final mica. The absence of excess Na leads to a lower particle size and to the presence of less impurity in the calcined product. Different sodalites could be used in the synthesis of different Na-Mica-4 with presumably different physicochemical properties.

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