In this work, zeolite NaA was successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal method using kaolin as a combined source for silica and alumina. Zeolite NaA with high static water adsorption was synthesized from the lowcost raw material, kaolin, and the reaction parameters were optimized. Metakaolin was obtained by calcining kaolin at temperatures ranged from 953 K to 1173 K. The synthesis mixture was pre-crystallized at 343 K and crystallized at 373 K successively. Zeolite NaA was obtained, which was confirmed by SEM, XRD and the water adsorption analysis. The optimized metakaolinization temperature was found at 973 K. The influence of Na 2 O/SiO 2 molar ratio, pre-crystallization time and seed on the crystallization of NaA zeolite was investigated. A thorough mixing of metakaolin and NaOH solution was favourable for the nucleation/crystallization rate. The obtained NaA zeolite under the optimized conditions shows excellent crystallinity and static water adsorption of 28.0 wt-%, which was higher than 25.9 wt-% of the commercial NaA zeolite. Kaolin was suggested to be a feasible and economical raw material for the practical industrial applications for NaA zeolite.

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