The formation of precursors and the growth and aggregation of silicalite-1 crystals using tetrapropylammonium as a template (Si-TPA-MFI) has been studied in situ using X-ray scattering techniques. Simultaneous smallangle and wide-angle X-ray scattering (respectively SAXS and WAXS) experiments using synchrotron light showed that the formation of amorphous colloidal aggregates in water clear synthesis mixtures was dependent on the alkalinity of the solutions. In situ time-resolved ultra-small-angle X-ray scattering (USAXS) showed the form factor oscillations of the growing crystals. Fitting of the USAXS patterns to the scattering pattern of spherical particles having a normal particle size distribution showed a linear growth of the average crystal diameter, which was approximately the same for both alkalinities studied. The final size of the crystals was highest for the synthesis mixture having the highest alkalinity, which can be explained in terms of number of viable nuclei formed. At the end of the linear growth the crystals form aggregates corresponding with a diffusion limited aggregation process (mass fractal dimension of 1.8).
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.