Ultrafast synthesis of hierarchical zeolite FAU by microwave heating

This work reports an ultrafast route for the preparation of hierarchical zeolite FAU by a combined templating-microwave heating method. An inexpensive and harmless cationic polymer polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride (PolyDADMAC) was used as a mesoporogen agent. Several characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy and N2 sorption analysis confirmed the successful synthesis of hierarchical zeolite FAU with both inter and intra-crystalline mesopores. The effects of microwave heating times and polymer quantities on the structural properties of the final product were evaluated. A crystallization time of 180 minutes and microwave radiation at 90 ͦC proved to be adequate to obtain the best product. Microwave heating resulted in the formation of nanozeolite crystallites with mesopores between them and polymer removal through calcination created mesopores inside the zeolite crystals.