A novel double-function porous material: zeolite-activated carbon extrudates from elutrilithe

Zeolite-activated carbon (ZEOAC) extrudates were synthesized from natural elutrilithe through a two-step process consisting of the chemical activation of elutrilithe with K2CO3 at 800C followed the hydrothermal transformation in NaOH solution. During the chemical activation, carbon in elutrilithe was activated, and the kaliophilite crystalline phase with framework structure of linked (Si, Al)O-4 tetrahedra was formed simultaneously, which was then converted into zeolite A in alkaline medium. The as-synthesized samples were characterized by thermal gravimetric and differential thermal analyses (TG/DTA), N-2 adsorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and adsorptive capacities for water and hexane. The results show that this new material ZEOAC possesses the typical characteristics of zeolite and activated carbon, micro- and mesoporous structure, hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties.