Microreactor for the characterization of zeolite hydrothermal synthesis by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS)

During zeolite synthesis, exploring the growth of nanoparticles is crucial for studying the crystallization mechanism. Synchrotron radiation small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) is a powerful technique for the in-situ characterization of zeolite crystallization. Herein, a microreactor was developed for use at the Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility (BSRF) to achieve the in-situ SAXS characterization of the nucleation and growth of zeolite crystallization. The results show that the fractal structure convert from surface fractal during induction nucleation to mass fractal during crystal growth. The surface fractal dimension first fluctuated slightly and increased rapidly, while the mass fractal dimension gradually increased, reflecting the particle growth. This work provides important information for further exploring zeolite crystallization.