Milling Activation for the Solvent-Free Synthesis of the Zeolite Mordenite

Milling by a planetary mill was applied as a pretreatment of a reagent mixture for the solvent-free synthesis of the zeolite mordenite. This method was compared with both manual grinding and standard hydrothermal synthesis. The comprehensive characterization of the obtained products was complemented by thorough studies of activated synthesis mixtures before crystallization steps (by Magic Angle Spinning Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Scanning Electron Microscopy). This experimental approach gave insight into processes behind the synthesis mixture activation by milling. The characteristics of solvent-free zeolite product were comparable with material obtained by the classic hydrothermal route. The automated milling activation made the crystallization possible due to higher energetic impact in comparison to manual grinding. The solvent-free process allowed minimization of the contribution of water to a role of the agent catalyzing silica transformation; as a result, less than 5 % water (compared to the classical synthesis) was necessary to perform the crystallization.