NaY Zeolite Synthesis from Vermiculite and Modification with Surfactant

Abstract

This work focuses on preparing NaY zeolite using alternative sources of silica and modifying the zeolite with the surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. Two different hydrothermal synthesis routes were employed: the conventional method using sodium silicate as the silica source, and the other is a sustainable approach using vermiculite clay as the silica source. In traditional zeolite synthesis, sodium silicate is often used as the source of silica. However, . The vermiculite was subjected to an acid treatment, followed by a primary treatment to obtain silica. Using the ion exchange method, the NaY zeolite was modified by an organic surfactant CTABr. Based on the various characterization techniques, it was possible to verify the obtaining of NaY zeolite through the conventional and sustainable routes, in which the structural properties were maintained. They used the sustainable path to synthesize NaY zeolite, which allowed for obtaining a material with low synthesis cost and properties similar to those synthesized conventionally. The structures of the NaY zeolites were maintained after the modification process with the surfactant Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide (CTABr), demonstrating the structural stability of the zeolites and the efficiency of the modification process.